UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

LESSON 1: THE NERVOUS SYSTEM • ENTERIC NERVOUS SYSTEM – a unique division of the
PNS. It has both sensory and motor neurons contained
FUNCTIONS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM wholly within the digestive tract.

• receiving sensory input – gathering information, to monitor - it can function without input from the CNS or other parts
changes occurring inside and outside the body (stimuli) of the PNS. Although it is normally integrated with the
CNS by sensory neurons and ANS motor neurons.
• integrating information – processing, to process and
interpret sensory input and decide if action is needed.
• controlling muscles and glands – response, a response to
integrated stimuli, the response activates the muscles or
glands.
• maintaining homeostasis
• establishing and maintaining mental activity

STRUCTURAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE NERVOUS

SYSTEM

• PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM – consists of the nerves

outside the brain and spinal cord.
• CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM – consists of the brain and SUPPORT CELLS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
spinal cord
• NEUROGLIA OR GLIAL CELLS – supportive cells of the
CNS and PNS, do not conduct action potentials. Instead,
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
carry out different functions that enhance the neuron
function and maintain normal conditions within nervous
• communication link between the CNS and various parts of tissue.
the body
• carries information about the different tissue of the body to o ASTROCYTES – abundant, star-shaped cells. Are the
the CNS and delivers commands from the CNS to other major supporting cells in the CNS.
body tissues that alter body activities.
HAS THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS:
FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE PERIPHERAL o inhibit the signaling activity of nearby neurons.
NERVOUS SYSTEM o brace neurons
o form permeability barrier between capillaries
and neurons (blood-brain barrier)
• MOTOR OR EFFERENT DIVISION (away) - nerve
o control the chemical environment of the brain
fibers that carry information away from the central nervous
(CNS).
system. they conduct action potentials from the CNS to the
effector organs like the muscles and glands.

• SENSORY OR AFFERENT DIVISION (toward) – nerve

fibers that carry information to the central nervous system.

• SENSORY NEURONS – neurons that transmit action

potentials from the periphery to the CNS.

• MOTOR NEURONS – neurons that transmit action

potentials from the CNS toward the periphery.

TWO DIVISIONS OF THE MOTOR OR EFFERENT DIVISION

o EPENDYMAL CELLS (CNS) – lines cavities of the brain
• SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM – voluntary; transmits and spinal cord. They circulate cerebrospinal fluid and help
action potentials from the CNS to the skeletal muscles protect the brain by removing bacteria and cell debris.
• AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM – involuntary; transmits
action potentials from the CNS to cardiac and smooth
muscles, and glands.
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

NEUROGLIA VS NEURONS

• neuroglia divides while neurons do not

• most brain tumors are “gliomas”
• most brain tumors involve the neuroglial cells not the
neurons
NEURONS

• NEURONS – nerve cells that are specialized to receive

o MICROGLIA (CNS) – spider-like phagocytes that stimulus, conduct action potentials, and transmit signals to
functions in the disposal of debris. other neurons or effector organs.

THREE MAJOR REGIONS OF NEURONS

• CELL BODY – consists of the nucleus and a large nucleolus

and is also the metabolic center of the cell.
• PROCESSES – fibers that extend from the cell body
(dendrites and axons)
o dendrites – short. they usually receive information
from other neuron or from sensory receptors and
o OLIGODENDROCYTES (CNS) – produce myelin sheath transmit the information at the same time conduct
around nerve fibers in the CNS. It also provides an impulses toward the neuron cell body.
insulating material that surrounds axons. o axons – long, axons of sensory neurons conduct
action potentials towards the CNS, while axons of
motor neurons conduct action potentials away
from the CNS. they also conduct action potentials
from one part of the brain or spinal cord to another
part.
▪ axon hillock – area where the axon
leaves the neuron cell body
▪ collateral axons – where an axon
becomes branched
o SATELLITE CELLS (PNS) – protect neuron cell bodies

o SCHWANN CELLS (PNS) - forms myelin sheath in jelly

roll like fashion in the PNS and provides insulating
material around axons.

BLOOD – BRAIN BARRIER

• Includes the least permeable capillaries of the body
• Excludes many potentially harmful substances
• Useless against some substances: Fats and fat soluble
molecules, Respiratory gases, Alcohol, Nicotine, Anesthesia
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

AXONS AND NERVE IMPULSES STRUCTURAL CLASSIFICATION OF NEURONS

• axons end in axonal terminals

• axonal terminals contain vesicles with neurotransmitters
• axonal terminals are separated from the next neuron by
gap
o synaptic cleft – gap between adjacent
neurons
o synapse – junction between nerves

• MULTIPOLAR NEURONS – have many dendrite

extensions from the cell body and a single axon.

NERVE FIBER COVERINGS

• SCHWANN CELLS - produce myelin sheath in jelly roll

like

fashion
• BIPOLAR NEURONS – have one dendrite and one axon,
• NODES OF RANVIER – gaps in myelin sheath along the located in some sensory organs such as the retina of the
axon. eye in the nasal cavity.

APPLICATION:
o in multiple Scleroses the myelin sheath is
destroyed
o the myelin sheath hardens to a tissue called the
scleroses.
o this is considered an autoimmune disease

• PSEUDO-UNIPOLAR OR UNIPOLAR NEURONS – have

a short single process extending or leaving from the cell
body. This divides into two processes a short distance from
the cell body. One to the periphery and one to the CNS.
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

NEURON CELL BODY LOCATIONS THE ACTION POTENTIAL

• mostly are found in the CNS. • if the action potential (nerve impulse) starts, it is propagated
over the entire axon.
o GRAY MATTER – cell bodies and unmyelinated
fiber • potassium ions rush out of the neuron after sodium ions
rush in, which repolarizes the membrane
o WHITE MATTER – bundles of parallel axons
with their myelin sheaths which are whitish in • the sodium-potassium pump restores the original
color. configuration. this action requires ATP.
o NUECLEI - clusters of gray matter located
deeper within the brain THE REFLEX ARC
o CORTEX – gray matter on the surface of the
• REFLEX - rapid, predictable, and involuntary responses to
brain (CNS).
stimuli.
o GANGLIA – collection of cell bodies outside the
• REFLEX ARC – direct route from a sensory neuron, to an
CNS.
interneuron, to an effector.

FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF NEURONS

• SENSORY OR AFFERENT NEURONS – they carry

impulses from the sensory receptors. Cutaneous sense
organs.
- Proprioceptors – detect stretch or tensions
• MOTOR OR EFFERENT NEURONS – interneurons
(association neurons). found in neural pathways in the
CNS. They also connect sensory and motor neurons. SIMPLE REFLEX ARC

FUNCTIONS OF NEURONS (PHYSIOLOGY)

• IRRITABILITY – ability to respond to stimuli

• CONDUCTIVITY – ability to transmit an impulse
o the plasma membrane at rest is polarized.
o fewer positive ions are inside the cell than outside the cell.

STARTING A NERVE IMPULSE

• DEPOLARIZATION – a stimulus depolarizes the neuron’s

membrane.
- a depolarized membrane allows sodium (Na+) to flow
inside the membrane. TYPES OF REFLEXES AND REGULATIONS
- the exchange of ions initiates an action potential in
• AUTONOMIC REFLEXES
the neuron.
o smooth muscle regulation
o heart and blood pressure regulation
o regulation of glands
o digestive system regulation

• SOMATIC REFLEXES
o activation of skeletal muscles
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1
THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM THE CEREBRUM

• consists of the brain and spinal cord. • LOBES OF THE CEREBRUM

o Frontal Lobe
• DEVELOPMENT
o Parietal Lobe
o CNS develops from the embryonic neural tube o Occipital Lobe
o Temporal Lobe
o The neural tube becomes the brain and spinal cord
o The opening of the neural tube becomes the
ventricles - four chambers within the brain and filled
with cerebrospinal fluid
o The nervous system is formed during the first
month of embryonic development
o Any maternal infection can have extremely harmful
effects
o The hypothalamus is one of the last areas of the
brain to develop
o No more neurons are formed after birth, but growth
and maturation continue for several years.
o The brain reaches maximum weight as a young
adult
• Central Sulcus/Sulcus of Rolando – between
• the brain consists of Frontal Lobe and Parietal Lobe
o Cerebal hemispheres • Lateral Fissure/Sylvian Fissure – between Frontal
Lobe and Temporal Lobe
o diencephalon • Parieto-occipital Sulcus – between Parietal and
o brain stem Occipital Lobe

o cerebellum

• SPECIALIZED AREAS OF THE CEREBRUM

o Somatic sensory area – receives impulses from
the body’s sensory receptors – PARIETAL LOBE
o Primary motor area – sends impulses to skeletal
• CEREBRAL HEMISPHERE muscles, FRONTAL LOBE
o paired (left and right hemisphere) – superior o Broca’s area – involved in our ability to speak,
parts of the brain FRONTAL LOBE Cerebral areas involved in
• GYRUS/GYRI – ridges and folds special senses
• SULCUS/SUCLI – grooves o Gustatory area (taste) –PARIETAL LOBE
o Visual area – OCCIPITAL LOBE
o Auditory area – TEMPORAL LOBE
o Olfactory area – FRONTAL and TEMPORAL
LOBE
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

• INTERPRETATION AREAS OF THE CEREBRUM

o Speech/language region
o Language comprehension region
o General interpretation area

• BASAL NUCLEI
o internal islands of gray matter
o regulates voluntary motor activities by modifying
info sent to the motor cortex
• SPECIALIZED AREAS FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE o patients with defects has difficulty in controlling
o Broca’s Area muscles - spastic, jerky, shaking
▪ located in frontal lobe o Involved in Huntington’s and Parkinson’s
▪ brings about the formation of words by Disease
its connections with the adjacent
primary motor areas – muscles of
speech
▪ paralysis of speech
o Wernicke’s Area
▪ located in temporal lobe
▪ permits understanding of written and
spoken language and enables a person
to read a sentence, understand it, and
say it out loud

• DIENCEPHALON
o sits on top of the brainstem
o enclosed by the cerebral hemispheres –
o made of three parts: Thalamus,
Hypothalamus. Epithalamus

• THALAMUS
o surrounds the third ventricle
o the relay station for sensory impulses
o FUNCTION:
▪ transfers impulses to the correct part of
the cortex for localization and
interpretation
• HYPOTHALAMUS
o under the thalamus, attached to pituitary gland
o emotions connected to limbic system
• LAYERS OF CEREBRUM o Important autonomic nervous system center
o Gray matter o FUNCTIONS:
▪ outer layer ▪ Helps regulate body temperature
▪ composed mostly of neuron cell bodies ▪ Controls water balance
o White matter ▪ Regulates metabolism
▪ Fiber tracts inside the gray matter • EPITHALAMUS
o Corpus callosum o forms the roof of the third ventricle
▪ connects right and left hemispheres o houses the pineal body (an endocrine gland)
o includes the choroid plexus – forms
cerebrospinal fluid
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

• THE PROTECTION OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS

SEVERAL LAYERS
o scalp and skin
o skull and vertebral column
o meninges
o cerebrospinal fluid
o blood brain barrier

• BRAIN STEM – attaches to the spinal cord

• MIDBRAIN
o mostly composed of tracts of nerve fibers
o Reflex centers for vision and hearing
• PONS
o the bulging center part of the brain stem
o mostly composed of fiber tracts • MENINGES
o includes nuclei involved in the control of o Dura mater - double-layered external covering
breathing ▪ Periosteum – attached to surface of
• MEDULLA OBLONGATA the skull
o the lowest part of the brain stem ▪ Meningeal layer – outer covering of
o merges into the spinal cord the brain
o includes important fiber tracts o Arachnoid layer - middle layer, web-like
o contains important control centers: Heart rate o Pia mater - Internal layer, Clings to the surface
control, Blood pressure regulation, of the brain
Breathing, Swallowing, Vomiting

• CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
o similar to blood plasma composition
o formed by the choroid plexus
o forms a watery cushion to protect the brain
o Circulated in arachnoid space, ventricles, and
central canal of the spinal cord
THE CEREBELLUM

• known as the “little brain”

• has two hemispheres with convulated surfaces
• provides involuntary coordination of body
movements.
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

• BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

o Includes the least permeable capillaries of the
body • consists of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord
o Excludes many potentially harmful • Autonomic Nervous System (Sympathetic vs.
substances Parasympathetic)
o Useless against some substances: Fats and • Cranial Nerves ( I – XII)
fat soluble molecules, Respiratory gases, • Nerves and ganglia outside the central nervous system
Alcohol, Nicotine, Anesthesia
• NERVE - bundle of neuron fibers
• SPINAL CORD o Neuron fibers are bundled by connective tissue:
o extends from the medulla oblongata to the ▪ Epineurium - surrounds the nerve
region of T12 ▪ Perineurium – surrounds the groups
o below T12 is the cauda equina (a collection of of fibers called fascicles
spinal nerves) ▪ Endoneurium - surrounds each nerve
o enlargements occur in the cervical and lumbar fiber
regions • Classification of Nerves
o Sensory – sensation
• Exterior white matter (opposite to the brain, because o Motor – movement or action
the white matter is inside or interior) – conduction tracts o Mixed – both

• Internal gray matter (opposite to the brain, because • Afferent (sensory) nerves – carry impulses toward the
the gray matter is outside or exterior)- mostly cell CNS
bodies - Dorsal (posterior) horns (sensory) and Anterior • Efferent (motor) nerves – carry impulses away from the
(motor) horns (sensory) CNS
• SPINAL NERVES
• Central canal - filled with cerebrospinal fluid o there is a pair of spinal nerves at the level of
each vertebra
• Meninges cover the spinal cord o 31 pairs – (8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5
sacral nerves, 1 coccyx)
o has ventral (motor) and dorsal (sensory) roots
• Nerves leave at the level of each vertebra

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

• The involuntary branch of the nervous system
• consists of only motor nerves
• divided into two divisions:
o Parasympathetic – “housekeeping activities”
▪ conserves energy
▪ maintains daily necessary body
functions
▪ “digestion, defecation, and
diuresis”
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

o Sympathetic – “fight-or-flight” o Sensory Cranial Nerves: I, II, VIII

o response to unusual stimulus o Motor: III, IV, VI, XI, XII
o takes over to increase activities o Both: V, VII, IX, X
o “exercise, excitement, emergency, o With Parasympathetic involvement: III, VII, IX, X
and embarrassment”

• CRANIAL NERVES
o give innervations to structures in the skull
hence “cranial” -eyes, muscles of the face,
tongue etc.
o transmit and relay information to the brain
analogous to the spinal nerve
o direct connections to the brain instead of the
spinal cord.
 UNIT 2 – LESSON 1

CRANIAL NERVE ORIGIN & LOCATION COMPONENT EXIT FUNCTION

the caudal surface of the Cribiform

I : OLFACTORY
olfactory bulb anteroinferi Sensory plate of sense of smell
NERVE
or part of the brain Ethmoid
Arise directly from the
brain then penetrates the Optic
II : OPTIC NERVE Sensory vision
back of the eye through Canal
the optic disc
from the oculomotor
Moves eyeball in all directions
III : nucleus – located within Superior
Adduction Constricts pupil
OCULOMOTOR the midbrain of the Motor Orbital
Accommodates (ciliary
NERVE brainstem, ventral to the Fissure
muscle) Raises eyelid
cerebral aqueduct
within the medial midbrain
makes eyeball look down and
IV : TROCHLEA at the level of the inferior Motor
out) Intortion
colliculus
Opthalmic Division touch,
Superior orbital pain, temperature of
fissure forehead, scalp, cornea
ophthalmic Maxillary division – sensation
division of palate, nasal cavity,
V : TRIGEMINAL Sensory & Foramen maxillary face, maxillary teeth
NERVE Motor rotundum Mandibular division - General
(maxillarydivision) sensation of anterior 2/3 of
Foramen ovale tongue, mandibular face,
(mandibular mandibular teeth Motor to
division) muscle of mastication
(chewing)
Superior
VI : ADBUCEN Pons Motor Orbital Abducts eyeball
Fissure
Sensation: anterior 2/3 of
Internal
VII : FACIAL Sensory & tongue Motor: Muscles of
Pons Auditory
NERVE Motor Mastication, For tears in
Meatus
lacrimal ducts, salivation
VIII : Internal
VESTIBULOCOC Pons Sensory Auditory Sense of Hearing
HLEAR Meatus
IX : Sensation: posterior 1/3 of
Sensory & Jugular
GLOSSOPHARYN Medulla the tongue Motor: for
Motor Foramen
GEAL NERVE swallowing, pharnyx
To muscle of palate and
pharynx for swallowing
except Tensor Veli Palatini
Sensory &
X : VAGUS Medula jugular foramen (V) and Stylopharyngeus (IX)
Motor
-To all muscles of the larynx
(phonates) which aids in
speech
Turns head to opposite side
XI : ACCESSORY (sternocleidomastoi d) -
Medulla Motor jugular foramen
NERVE Elevates and rotates scapula
(trapezius)
XII: Hypoglossal Movement of tongue –
Medulla Motor
HYPOGLOSSAL canal sticking out