The Human

Nervous System
Nervous System
• Responsible for your quick reaction
• It is connected to all body parts by transmitting
signals from one part of your body to another
• Has three basic functions: sensory, integrative,
and motor.
• Is divided into: central nervous system (CNS) and
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Central Nervous System
• Serves as the processing area of
the nervous system
• It is composed of the brain and the
spinal cord.
• The brain – process & interprets
the signals transmitted to it.
• The spinal cord – the connection
from the brain to the rest of the
body
Peripheral Nervous System
• Is divided into the somatic & autonomic
nervous system
• SNS includes the motor nerves that connect
to the skeletal muscles that function
voluntarily
• Contains the spinal nerves which connect
the CNS to other parts such as sensory
receptors, muscles, and body glands; and
the cranial nerves (responsible for functions
like smell, sight, chewing, taste, hearing and
movements.
Autonomic Nervous
System
• Regulates the smooth &
cardiac muscles as well as
other glands
• It work involuntarily
(independent &
unconsciously controlled)
• Contains the sympathetic &
parasympathetic nervous
system
Sympathetic
Nervous System
• Is activated during
physical or emotional
stress
• Can be stimulated
every time we feel fear,
anger, or
embarrassment
Parasympathetic
Nervous System
• It functions
whenever the body
is at rest & recovery
• The body conserves
& restores energy
The Brain
• An important part of the nervous
system
• It controls most of the reactions given
by your body
• Processes most of the signals that it
receives from the different parts of the
body
• It can be divided based on its
hemisphere
 • Cerebrum
- The largest part of the brain, responsible for
various higher-order functions like thinking,
planning, perception, and voluntary muscle
movements.

• Cerebellum
- Known as the "little brain," it
coordinates voluntary movements like posture,
balance, coordination, and speech, resulting in
smooth and balanced muscular activity.
• Brain Stem
Parts of - Controls basic life functions such as breathing,
the Brain heartbeat, and blood pressure. It acts as a relay center
connecting the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal
cord.
Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere
• Controls the left side of • Controls the right side of
the body the body
• Controls the different • Related to spatial
skills like speaking, intelligence, pattern &
writing, numerical, & face recognition, as well
scientific skills, as well as as musical ability
sign language &
reasoning
Frontal Lobe Parietal Lobe
• At the front of the brain. • Behind the frontal lobe.
• Responsible for higher • Processes sensory
cognitive functions like information such as
reasoning, planning, touch, temperature, and
problem-solving, pain. It also helps with
emotional expression, and spatial orientation and
decision-making. It also body awareness.
controls voluntary
movement and speech
production.
Temporal Lobe Occipital Lobe
• On the sides of the brain, • At the back of the brain.
near the temples. • Primarily responsible for
• Involved in processing visual processing,
auditory information and interpreting visual
is essential for information from the
understanding language. eyes.
It also plays a key role in
memory and emotional
responses.
 The Nerve Cell
• Also called neuron
• It has the ability to change a
stimulus, which is a change in
the environment that causes
one to initiate an impulse or
electric signal that travels in
the neuron
• The neuron has three parts:
cell body, dendrites, & axon
Parts of the Neuron
• Transmits
impulses to
another
neuron • It contains
the nucleus
& other cell
• Are the organelles
receiving parts
of the neuron
Types of Neuron Based on Structure
Unipolar Bipolar
• Often found in the • Found in the sensory
sensory neurons of pathways, like in the
invertebrate retina of the eye
• They have a single • They have one axon
process extending and one dendrite
from the cell body extending from
which divides into opposite ends of the
two branches, cell body.
functioning as both
dendrite and axon.
Types of Neuron Based on Structure
Multipolar Pyramidal
• The most common • Found in areas of the
type of neuron in the brain like the cerebral
central nervous system cortex and the
(brain and spinal cord). hippocampus.
• They have one axon • Characterized by a
and multiple dendrites, pyramid-shaped cell
allowing them to body, a long axon, and
integrate a lot of large dendritic trees.
information from other
neurons.
Types of Neuron Based on Function
Sensory Interneuron Motor
• Also known as • Known as efferent • Also called as
afferent neurons; neurons; carry the association
receives stimuli & impulse away neurons;
transmit them from the CNS to responsible for
toward the CNS the effectors such the sensory
• These neurons as the muscles & information
are responsible the glands carried by the
for transmitting • These neurons sensory neurons
sensory transmit signals & giving response
information (like from the central through the motor
touch, pain, nervous system to neurons
temperature, and muscles or • These neurons
sound) from the glands, causing are located within
body's sensory them to contract the central
receptors to the or release nervous system
central nervous chemicals, and connect
system. respectively. sensory and
motor neurons,
facilitating
communication
 Neuroglia
• also known as glial cells, are the unsung heroes of the nervous
system.
• The name glia comes from the word “glue” because the main
function of neuroglia is to connect the nervous tissues together
• They play crucial roles in supporting, protecting, and maintaining the
function of neurons. However, they cannot transmit nerve impulses,
they can replace neuron in cases of injuries/diseases
 Satellite Cells Schwann Cells
• Can be found in the • Can also be found in
peripheral nervous the peripheral nervous
system system
• Provide structural • Similar to
support and nutrient oligodendrocytes, they
exchange for neurons in produce myelin
the ganglia sheaths, but for
• play an important role in neurons in the PNS.
modulating the PNS • provide myelination to
following injury and peripheral neurons.
inflammation. • Functionally, the
Schwann cells are
similar to
oligodendrocytes of the
central nervous system
 Ependymal Cells Oligodendrocytes
• Line the ventricles of the • Found in the central
brain and the central nervous system (CNS).
canal of the spinal cord. • Produce myelin sheaths
• Involved in producing that insulate axons,
and circulating speeding up the
cerebrospinal fluid transmission of
(CSF). electrical signals.
Astrocytes Microglia
• Support neurons by • Act as the immune cells
maintaining the blood- of the CNS.
brain barrier, providing • Remove cellular debris,
nutrients, and regulating pathogens, and dead
ion concentration. neurons through
• Involved in repairing and phagocytosis.
scarring processes in
the brain and spinal
cord.
 Disorders of the Nervous System
The nervous system plays a significant
role in the normal functioning of many body
parts & processes. However, damages and
even malfunction of the nervous system can
occur if we do not take care of it properly.
 Disorders Description Causes Symptoms
Alzheimer’s a progressive The exact cause is • Memory loss, esp. for
Disease neurodegenerative disorder unknown, but it involves recent events
that leads to memory loss, a combination of genetic, • Difficulty performing familiar
cognitive decline, and environmental, and tasks
changes in behavior and lifestyle factors. The • Confusion about time or
personality accumulation of beta- place
amyloid plaques and tau • Difficulty with problem-
tangles in the brain is a solving or planning
hallmark of the disease. • Changes in mood &
personality
Parkinson’s Is a chronic and progressive The exact cause is • Tremors, usually starting in
Disease movement disorder that unknown, but a one hand
affects the nervous system. It combination of genetic • Slow movement
primarily impacts dopamine- and environmental (bradykinesia)
producing neurons in a factors is believed to play • Muscle stiffness (rigidity)
specific area of the brain a role. Loss of dopamine- • Impaired balance &
called the substantia nigra. producing neurons is a coordination
key characteristic. • Changes in speech &
writing
 Disorders Description Causes Symptoms
Epilepsy a neurological disorder Genetic factors, brain • Seizures, primary
characterized by injury, infections symptom of epilepsy,
recurrent, unprovoked (meningitis, has 2 main types:
seizures. A seizure encephalitis, etc.), focal (Affect a specific
occurs when there is developmental part of the brain.
abnormal electrical disorders, prenatal Symptoms might
activity in the brain, injuries, & medical include unusual
causing a variety of conditions (stroke, heart sensations,
symptoms that can attack, etc.) involuntary
affect sensation, movements, or altered
behavior, movement, or awareness) &
consciousness. generalized (Affect the
entire brain.
Symptoms can include
loss of consciousness,
muscle stiffness,
jerking movements,
and convulsions.)
 Disorders Description Causes Symptoms
Epilepsy a neurological Genetic factors, • Auras, warning
disorder brain injury, signs before a
characterized by infections seizure is
recurrent, (meningitis, experienced, such
unprovoked encephalitis, etc.), as unusual smells,
seizures. A seizure developmental tastes, or feelings
occurs when there disorders, prenatal of déjà vu.
is abnormal injuries, & medical • Post-Seizure,
electrical activity in conditions (stroke, individuals might
the brain, causing a heart attack, etc.) feel confused,
variety of symptoms tired, or
that can affect experience
sensation, behavior, temporary muscle
movement, or weakness after a
consciousness. seizure.
 Disorders Description Causes Symptoms
Poliomyelitis commonly known as The poliovirus spreads • Non-Paralytic Polio: Mild
polio, is a highly through: direct symptoms resembling the flu,
infectious viral disease contact with an such as sore throat, fever,
that primarily affects infected person, headache, vomiting,
children under the age consuming weakness, fatigue, back pain,
of 5; The virus mainly contaminated food or neck pain, stiffness, and
targets the nervous water, contact with muscle tenderness
system, leading to infected feces, & • Paralytic Polio: Severe
partial or full paralysis inhaling droplets muscle weakness and pain,
in severe cases (coughs or sneezes of loss of reflexes, floppy and
an infected person) loose limbs (flaccid paralysis),
and in some cases, permanent
paralysis
• Post-Polio Syndrome:
Symptoms that can appear
years after the initial infection,
including fatigue and muscle
weakness after minimal
activity
Disorder Description Causes Symptoms
s
Myotonic • a genetic disorder that is inherited in an • Muscle Weakness & Atrophy:
Dystrophy affects muscle function autosomal Weakness and wasting of
and other body systems dominant voluntary muscles, particularly in
• It is characterized by manner, meaning the face, neck, and lower arms
progressive muscle only one copy of and legs
loss, weakness, and the mutated gene • Myotonia: Difficulty relaxing
myotonia (difficulty is necessary to muscles after contraction, such as
relaxing muscles after cause the trouble releasing a handshake
contraction) disorder • Heart Problems: Abnormal heart
• Has 2 types: DM1 (Also rhythms and weakened heart
known as Steinert muscles
disease, DM1 is caused • Respiratory Issues: Weakened
by a mutation in the muscles used for breathing,
DMPK gene on leading to breathing difficulties,
chromosome 19) & DM2 especially during sleep
(Also known as proximal • Other symptoms: Cataracts,
myotonic myopathy, intellectual disability,
DM2 is caused by a gastrointestinal issues (difficulty
mutation in the CNBP swallowing, constipation), and
gene on chromosome 3) complications in pregnancy and
Disorder Description Causes Symptoms
s
Cerebrov • is the medical term for what is • High blood • Sudden
ascular commonly referred to as a stroke pressure numbness/weaknes
Accident which occurs when the blood supply • Diabetes s, esp. on one side
to part of the brain is interrupted or • Smoking of the body
reduced, preventing brain tissue • Heart disease • Confusion, trouble
from getting oxygen and nutrients. • Obesity speaking, or
Brain cells begin to die within • Sedentary understanding
minutes. lifestyle speech
• The term "cerebrovascular" refers to • Trouble seeing in
the brain's blood vessels, and one/both eyes
"accident" implies a sudden event. • Trouble walking,
• Has 2 types: Ischemic (Caused by a dizziness, loss of
blockage in an artery that supplies balance/coordinatio
blood to the brain) & Hemorrhagic n
(Caused by a blood vessel in the • Severe headache
brain that bursts, leading to bleeding with no known
in or around the brain) cause