Core CH 16 Coordination in Humans: 16.1.1 General Plan of The Nervous System
Core CH 16 Coordination in Humans: 16.1.1 General Plan of The Nervous System
Core CH 16 Coordination in Humans: 16.1.1 General Plan of The Nervous System
-most nerve fibres are surrounded by myelin shealth, which has the following functions:
-protect the nerve fibres
-insulates the nerve fibre to prevent nerve impulses from spreading to adjacent nerve
fibres
-speed up the transmission of nerve impulses along the nerve fibre
Types:
1. Sensory neurone
transmits nerve impulses from the receptor to the CNS
its cell body is outside the CNS
long dendron and short axon
2. Motor neurone
transmits nerve impulses from the CNS to the effector
its cell body is inside the CNS
short dendrons and long axon
3. Interneurone
connects the sensory neurone to the motor neurone
connects the interneurons in the CNS
short dendrons and short axons
16.2 Transmission of nerve impulses between neurons
1. A nerve impulse reaches the synaptic knob at the ending of the axon of a neurone
2. The nerve impulse stimulates the synaptic knob to release neurotransmitter
3. The neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft (synapse) and stimulates the
dendron of the next neurone to generate a nerve impulse
**Importance of synapses:
-only the axon end of a neurone can make neurotransmitter & only the dendrite
membrane has receptorssynapses make sure an impulse can only travel in ONE
direction
-allows a neurone to communicate with many other neurons
2. Functions
as a centre for controlling reflex actions
relays nerve impulses between the brain and other parts of the body
#General Function:
-controls voluntary actions, as centre for thinking, memory
#Functions of localized areas:
-Sensory areas: receive impulses from receptors to produce sensation
-Association areas:
-interpret impulses from the sensory cortex
-retrieve relevant information from the previously stored information
-integrate various sensory information and make decisions before initiating proper
responses
b. Cerebellum
#Structures:
-highly foldedpack more neurons for coordination
-outer layer—grey matter, inner layer—white matter
#Functions:
-coordinates muscular movements to maintain body balance
**(Cerebrum controls muscle’s contraction/relaxation VS Cerebellum controls muscle’s
degree of contraction/relaxation)
c. Medulla Oblongata
#Structures:
-outer layer—white matter, inner layer—grey matter
#Functions:
-the reflex centre for many reflex actions (e.g. saliva secretion, swallowing, coughing)
-controls other involuntary actions (e.g. breathing, heart beat, peristalsis)
**(Reflex actions VS Involuntary actions:
-reflex actions are quicker than involuntary actions
-responses are stereotyped in reflex actions but not in involuntary actions)
(ii)Knee jerk reflex (e.g. tapping tendon just below knee cap)
stretch receptors in the upper thigh muscle are stimulated to generate a nerve
impulse
nerve impulse is transmitted through a sensory neurone to the spinal cord
in the spinal cord, the impulse is passed to a motor neurone (no interneurone is
involved!)
the motor neurone then transmits the impulse to the leg muscles
leg muscle contracts->kicking up of the leg
Significance: help maintain posture & keep balance when moving
(iii)Pupil reflex
bright light->light-sensitive cells on retina->sensory neurone->interneurone in
brain (but NOT cerebrum)->motor neurone->muscle of iris->contraction of iris
muscles->pupil constriction
-Endocrine glands: ductless glands which secrete hormones into the blood
-Target cell/organ: it is a cell/organ on which a specific hormone acts
**(A hormone can have several target organs)
1. Referring to the specific cell types involved, describe the sequence of events that
leads to the withdrawal of the foot after stepping on a sharp nail.
2. With reference to the mechanisms involved, explain why the response in nervous
coordination occurs much faster than that in hormonal coordination.
-nerve impulses are transmitted along nerve fibres at a very high speed (1)
-while it takes time for hormones to be transported to target cells via the blood
circulation (1)
4. For (i) cerebrum , (ii) cerebellum, (iii) medulla oblongata of the brain, state and
explain one role that each plays when a man is riding a bicycle.
-(iii)medulla oblongata increases/controls the rate of heart beat/ the rate and depth
of breathing (1) to supply more oxygen to the skeletal muscles (1)
5. By means of a flowchart, show the nervous pathway involved in pupil reflex action.
-it acts as the reflex centre for some reflex actions (1)
OR
-it controls involuntary actions (1)
7. With reference to the types of photoreceptor cells and their distribution on the
retina, explain why more neurones in the visual centre are allocated to unit area of
the yellow spot.
8. After the perception of what we ‘see’, what it means to us depends on other parts of
the brain. Explain how this works.
-impulses received from the visual cortex will be interpreted at the association area
(1)
-where relevant information about the image will be retrieved from the previously
stored information (1)
9. Describe how nerve impulses can be transmitted across the neuromuscular junction
leading to muscle contraction.
-arrival of nerve impulses at the motor nerve ending triggers the release of
neurotransmitters into the neuromuscular junction (1)
-these neurotransmitters diffuse across the synapse (1)
-bind to the receptor sites on the membrane of the muscle fibre to trigger muscle
contraction (1)