The Nervous System: Anatomy & Physiology

Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology
The Nervous System

Anatomy & Physiology
Functions of the Nervous System
 Sensory input – gathering information
 To monitor changes occurring inside and
outside the body
 Integration - To process and interpret
sensory input and decide if action is
needed
 Motor output
 A response to stimuli
 Activates muscles or glands
Classification of the Nervous System
 Central nervous
system (CNS):
 Brain
 Spinal cord
 Peripheral nervous
system (PNS):
 Nerves outside the
brain and spinal cord
The Peripheral Nervous System
 Sensory (afferent) division - Nerve
fibers that carry information to the central
nervous system
 Motor (efferent) division - Nerve fibers
that carry impulses away from the central
nervous system.
 Somatic system:
voluntary
 Autonomic system:
involuntary
Autonomic Nervous System
 The involuntary branch of the nervous
system
 Consists of only motor
nerves
 Divided into two divisions
 Sympathetic division –
“fight or flight” response
 Parasympathetic division – “housekeeping”
Nervous System Histology
Neurons = nerve cells
 Cells specialized to transmit
electrochemical messages
 Major regions of neurons
 Cell body – nucleus and
metabolic center of the
cell
 Processes – fibers that
extend from the cell body
Neuron Anatomy
 Dendrites – conduct impulses
toward the cell body
 Cell body (soma): contains
organelles & Nissl
substance (specialized
rough ER)
 Axons – conduct impulses
away from the cell body
 Schwann cells – produce myelin
sheaths in jelly-roll like
fashion
 Nodes of Ranvier – gaps in
myelin sheath along the axon
Classification of Neurons
 Sensory (afferent) neurons
 Carry impulses from the sensory receptors
 Cutaneous sense organs
 Receptors – detect stretch or tension
 Interneurons (association): “connector”
 Motor (efferent) neurons
 Carry impulses from the central nervous
system
Neuron Classification
Figure 7.6
Electrochemical Nerve Impulses
 Dendrite depolarization
– a stimulus depolarizes
the dendrite’s membrane
 Sodium (Na+) flows
inside the membrane
with the help of Na+
pumps
 This exchange of ions
initiates an (+) action
potential in the neuron
The Action Potential
 If the action potential (nerve impulse)
starts, it is propagated to the end of the
axon
 Potassium (K+) ions rush out of the
neuron after sodium ions rush in, which
repolarizes the membrane
 The sodium-potassium pump restores
the original configuration - which is
resting potential (-)
*** This action requires ATP ***
Continuation of the Nerve
Impulse between Neurons
 Impulses are able to cross the synapse
to another neuron
 Neurotransmitter is released from a
neuron’s axon terminal
 The dendrite of the next neuron has
receptors that are stimulated by the
neurotransmitter
 An action potential is started in the dendrite
How Neurons Communicate at
Synapses
Figure 7.10
The Reflex Arc
 Reflex – rapid, predictable, and
involuntary responses to stimuli
 Reflex arc – direct route from a sensory
neuron, to an interneuron, to an effector
Regions of the Brain
 Cerebral
hemispheres
 Diencephalon
 Brain stem
 Cerebellum
Cerebral Hemispheres (Cerebrum)
 Paired (left and
right) superior
parts of the brain
 Include more
than half of the
brain mass
 The surface is
made of ridges
(gyri) and
grooves (sulci)
Specialized Area of the Cerebrum
Figure 7.13c
Specialized Areas of the Cerebrum
Figure 7.13c
Diencephalon
 Sits on top of the brain stem
 Enclosed by the cerebral hemispheres
 Three parts:
 Thalamus
 Hypothalamus
 Epithalamus
Brain Stem
 Attaches to the spinal cord
 Parts of the brain stem:
 Midbrain
 Pons
 Medulla
oblongata
Cerebellum
 Two hemispheres
with convoluted
surfaces
 Provides involuntary
coordination of body
movements
 “Arbor vitae” design
of white & grey
matter
Spinal Cord Anatomy
 Extends from the
medulla oblongata to
the region of T12
 Below T12 is the cauda
equina (a collection of
spinal nerves)
 Carries sensory and
motor information
Figure 7.18
Cranial Nerves
 12 pairs of nerves
that mostly serve the
head and neck
 Numbered in order,
front to back
 Most are mixed
nerves, but three
are sensory only
Cranial Nerves
 I Olfactory nerve – sensory for smell
 II Optic nerve – sensory for vision
 III Oculomotor nerve – motor fibers to eye
muscles
 IV Trochlear – motor fiber to eye muscles
 V Trigeminal nerve – sensory for the face;
motor fibers to chewing muscles
 VI Abducens nerve – motor fibers to
eye muscles
Cranial Nerves
 VII Facial nerve – sensory for taste; motor
fibers to the face
 VIII Vestibulocochlear nerve –
sensory for balance and hearing
 IX Glossopharyngeal nerve – sensory for taste;
motor fibers to the pharynx
 X Vagus nerves – sensory and motor fibers for
pharynx, larynx, and viscera
 XI Accessory nerve – motor fibers to neck and
upper back
 XII Hypoglossal nerve – motor fibers to tongue
Use a Mnemonic Device!
“On Old
Olympus’
Towering Top
A Fierce
Viking Grew
Vines and
Hops”
Use a Mnemonic Device!
“Some say
money
matters but
my brother
says big
brains matter
more.”
The Brachial Plexus (Arm)
Spinal Nerves to know:

 Ulnar Nerve – Motor &
Sensory, “the funny bone”
 Radial Nerve – Motor &
Sensory
 Median Nerve – Motor &
Sensory
The Lumbrosacral Plexus (Leg)
Spinal Nerves:
 Sciatic – M,S
 Femoral – M,S
 Obturator – M,S
 Tibial – M,S
 Common Fibular – M,S
“You just
nailed me in
the head!”
- Travis
Bogumill (21)
Eau Claire, WI
1998

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Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology

The Nervous System

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