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Understanding the Nervous System: Structure, Function, and Communication

This overview explores the nervous system's key components, including the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Learn about the specialized cells called neurons and their roles in transmitting nerve impulses. Discover how sensory, interneuron, and motor neurons function within the CNS and PNS, and understand the significance of neurotransmitters in communication. The autonomic division's sympathetic and parasympathetic components are also examined, illustrating how the nervous system regulates both conscious and unconscious bodily functions.

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Understanding the Nervous System: Structure, Function, and Communication

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  1. The Nervous System

  2. Objectives • Identify the principle parts of the nervous system • Describe the cells that make up the nervous system • Describe what starts and stops a nerve impulse (action potential) • The role of neurotransmitters • Compare the functions of the CNS & PNS • Identify the principle parts of the brain

  3. Principle Parts of Nervous System • Central nervous system (CNS): “command central” • Components: brain and spinal cord • Functions: receives, processes, and transfers information • Peripheral nervous system (PNS): “messengers” • Components: nerves outside CNS • Sensory neurons: carry information toward the CNS • Motor neurons: carry information away from CNS

  4. Components of the Nervous System

  5. Motor Division: 2 parts • Somatic - under conscious control (movement of skeletal muscles) • Autonomic – unconscious control (smooth muscle, cardiac, glands)

  6. Autonomic divisions: 2 parts • Sympathetic – flight or fight • Parasympathetic – conserves energy, promotes nonemergency functions

  7. Cells of the Nervous SystemCommunicators/messengers • Neurons: specialized cells for communication: • Cell adaptations: cell body, axon, dendrites • Types: sensory, interneurons, motor neurons

  8. Types of Neurons in the Nervous System

  9. Sensory neurons - INPUT • Of PNS transmit impulses to the CNS • Specialized to respond to specific stimuli like light or pressure • Impulses are electrical –as they travel they cause depolarization and repolarization of membrane potential = measurable difference in voltage across a cell membrane

  10. Interneurons - INTERGRATION • Of CNS transmit impulses between components of CNS • Receives information from sensory neurons, • Integrates/interprets information and • Influences the functioning of other neurons

  11. Motor neurons - OUTPUT • Of PNS transmit electrical impulses away from the CNS to muscles and glands

  12. Neuron Structure • Cell body – BATTERY - nucleus, DNA, mitochondria, etc • Dendrites – SENSORS - extension of cell body (soma) = info receivers/receptors • Axon – WIRING – long, slender tube of cell membrane specialized to conduct electric impulses • Axon terminals & axon bulbs (plugs & lights) – connections to tissues or other neurons

  13. Neuron adaptations • Sensory neural axons originate from a dendrite • Interneurons and motorneurons axons originate from axon hillock (cone shaped area of soma)

  14. Types of Neurons in the Nervous System

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