H.S.

B
WEEK 20
NERVES

Nerves are cordlike bundles of nerve fibers of neurons surrounded by connective tissue through which impulses pass
between the CNS and the rest of the body.
Nerves can be classified into three types based on what they are composed of:
Sensory nerves are composed of the nerve fibers of sensory neurons only and they carry impulses from receptors to
the CNS.
Motor nerves are composed of nerve fibers of motor neurons only and they carry impulses from the CNS to effectors.
Mixed nerves are composed of nerve fibers of both sensory and motor neurons and they carry impulses in both
directions, from receptors to the CNS and from the CNS to effectors.
Nerves can be classified into two types based on where they connect to the CNS:
• Cranial nerves connect to the brain.
• Spinal nerves connect to the spinal cord.
 SYNAPSES
 Adjacent neurons do not touch. There are tiny gaps
called synapses between the synaptic knobs at the
end of one axon and the dendrites or cell bodies of
adjacent neurons. Chemicals are known as
neurotransmitters are released into the synapses by
vesicles (small sacs) in the synaptic knobs. These
chemicals cause impulses to be set up in adjacent
neurons. This ensures impulses travel in one
direction only and allows many neurons to
interconnect.
VOLUNTARY ACTIONS
A voluntary action is an action that is consciously controlled by the
brain
The cerebrum of the brain initiates voluntary actions in one of two ways, both of which
involve conscious thought:
It can coordinate incoming information from sensory neurons and initiate an action.
It can spontaneously initiate an action without receiving any incoming information.
To initiate the action, impulses are sent from the cerebrum along relay neurons in the brain and
spinal cord to motor neurons. These motor neurons then carry these impulses to skeletal
muscles (effectors) initiating a conscious response, e.g. talking, writing, or running.
Voluntary actions:
 are learned
 are relatively slow
 are complex because a variety of different responses can result from one stimulus
ACTIONS CONTROLLED BY THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

 The autonomic nervous system is composed of motor nerves only and regulates the
functioning of internal organs, e.g. it controls breathing rate, heart rate, digestion,
peristalsis, and blood pressure.
 Information from internal receptors passes to the medulla of the brain which sends
impulses out along motor neurons in cranial and spinal nerves to the effectors. The
autonomic nervous system is important in homeostasis
 CRANIAL REFLEXES

 In cranial reflexes,
impulses pass through
cranial nerves and the
brain, e.g. the pupil
reflex, blinking, sneezing,
coughing and saliva
production.
REFLEX ACTIONS

 A reflex action is a rapid, automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus by a muscle or gland. A reflex action
is always initiated by an external stimulus. The pathway between receptor and effector is known as a reflex
arc. It is simple and involves the following:
 A receptor that detects the stimulus.
 A sensory neuron that carries the impulse to the central nervous system.
 A relay neuron in the central nervous system that carries the impulse to a motor neuron.
 A motor neuron that carries the impulse away from the central nervous system.
 An effector that responds to the stimulus.

Simple reflexes are classified as cranial reflexes or spinal reflexes.

VOLUNTARY ACTIONS
INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS
An involuntary action is an action that occurs without conscious thought.
Involuntary actions:
are not learned
are rapid
are simple because the same response always results from the same
stimulus.
There are two types of involuntary actions:
• Actions controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
• Reflex actions.
SPINAL REFLEXES

 In spinal reflexes, impulses

pass through spinal nerves
and the spinal cord. Spinal
reflexes include the knee jerk
reflex which lacks a relay
neuron, and the withdrawal
reflex in response to pain,
e.g. when the finger is
pricked, pain receptors are
stimulated and the hand is
rapidly withdrawn from the
source of the pain.
EXAMPLES OF INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS
VOLUNTARY AND INVOLUNTARY ACTIONS
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
1. Give THREE differences between coordination by the nervous system and
coordination by the endocrine system.
2. Describe the main divisions of the nervous system.
3. Give ONE function of EACH of the following regions of the brain:
the medulla oblongata b the cerebellum c the cerebrum
4 a. Distinguish between a neuron and a nerve.
b. Name the THREE types of neurons found in the nervous system and indicate the
function of EACH.
c. Identify the TWO major properties of all neurons.
5. What is a synapse and why are synapses important in the nervous system?
6. Distinguish between a voluntary action and an involuntary action and give TWO
examples of each.
7. What is the autonomic nervous system and what does it control?
8. What is a reflex action?
9. Jan pricked her finger and immediately withdrew her hand from the source of the
pain. Draw a simple flow diagram to show the pathway along which the impulses
passed in Jan’s body to bring about her response.