Nervous System-Double Award

NERVOUS SYSTEM -Double award
Relationship of parts of the nervous system.
-Sensory cells which are found in sense organs detect stimuli from the environment and convert
it to electrical impulses which are sent to the brain through the sensory neurons.
-The brain interprets these impulses and sends out another impulse in motor neurone to effectors
which carry out responses.
-An effector can either be a muscle or a gland. Muscles respond by contracting to allow
movement, while glands respond by releasing or stopping release of hormones.
STIMULUS detected RECEPTOR CELL message SENSORY NEURONE

by sent along
RESPONSE carries EFFECTOR to MOTOR message BRAIN

out NEURONE sent along
Structure and function of neurons

There are 3 types of neurons.
a) Sensory neurone
Draw fig 19.3 (b) pg 164
Function: To transport impulses from the sense/receptor organs to the CNS.
b) Motor neurone
Draw fig 19.3 a) pg 164
Function: To carry impulses from the CNS to the effector.
c) Relay/multipolar
Draw fig 19.3 c) pg 164
Function: carries impulses slowly across the CNS from sensory neurone to motor neurone.
Parts of a neurone and their functions
1. Dendrites- these are branching fibres which collect information from nearby neurons.
2. Cell body- consists of a nucleus surrounded by a cytoplasm in a cell membrane.

-controls metabolic reactions of the neurone.
3. Nerve fibre: a long filament of cytoplasm which carry/conduct impulses at a speed of 100m/s.
-part of the nerve fibre leading away from the cell body is called axon while part of
nerve fibre leading towards the cell body is called dendron.
4. Myelin sheath- mainly consists of fatty tissue which insulates impulses from any external
factors. It also makes them travel faster.
-In a condition called multiple-sclerosis, the fatty tissue breaks down, making
the impulses to slow down or even fail to be conducted, resulting in effectors
failing to function.
5. End plate (nerve ending): has synaptic knobs which release a neuro transmitter that sets off an
impulse in the next neurone.
6. Synapse (synaptic gap)- a small space found between two neurons or between motor neurons
and an effector.
7. Nodes of ranvier- allow rapid conduction of impulses by forcing them to jump from one node
to the next.
Comparison of structure between sensory and motor neurone
Sensory neurone Motor neurone

-Cell body has no dendrites. -Cell body has dendrites.
-Cell body is situated along nerve fibre. –Cell body is situated at the beginning of
nerve fibre.
-Nerve fibre is in the form of Dendron and axon. –Nerve fibre is in the form of axon only.
-The other general differences between the two neurons is that the cell body is situated outside
CNS for sensory neurone while for motor, cell body is within the CNS.
-Endplates for sensory neurone are found within the CNS while for motor neurone endplates
synapse with effector organs (gland or muscle).
REFLEX ACTION
-A reflex action refers to a rapid, automatic response to a stimulus.

-The pathway followed by an impulse (electrical message) in a reflex action is called reflex arc.
Draw fig on page 4.a) of handout.
-Reflexes can be in the form of a) cranial reflexes

or b) spinal reflex
-Cranial reflexes use the brain as the relay centre without its conscious involvement e.g blinking.
A reflex arc
-Spinal reflex- use relay neurons in the spinal cord.
-Most reflexes have a positive survival value (help us to avoid danger) e.g the pupil reflex avoids
damage to the light sensitive cells in the retina due to high light intensity.
-Reflexes are different from one individual to another in terms of speed, some people respond
much quicker to stimulus than others hence a short reaction time.
-Reaction time refers to the time taken to respond to a stimulus.
-One’s reaction time can improve with practice.
SPINAL CORD
-It consists of thousands of nerve cells.

-It is protected by the vertebral column made up of about 42 vertebrae.
-It has a central darker region called the grey matter which consists mainly of cell bodies.
-The outer region is called the white matter and consists mainly of nerve fibres, hence lighter in
colour.
Functions:
Spinal cord has the following functions:
1. To control reflex actions involving the body parts below the neck.
2. Conducts sensory impulses from the skin and muscles to the brain.
3. Conducts motor impulses from the brain to the muscles in the trunk and limbs.
PITUITARY GLAND
-It is found below the hypothalamus of the brain.

-It secretes hormones like ADH, TSH, LH which control activities of many glands and organs of
the body.
-It is a link between the nervous system and the endocrine system.
-It receives instructions from the hypothalamus before secreting such hormones.
-It is sometimes called the master gland.

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NERVOUS SYSTEM -Double award

Relationship of parts of the nervous system.

STIMULUS detected RECEPTOR CELL message SENSORY NEURONE

RESPONSE carries EFFECTOR to MOTOR message BRAIN

Structure and function of neurons

Draw fig 19.3 (b) pg 164

Function: To transport impulses from the sense/receptor organs to the CNS.

Draw fig 19.3 a) pg 164

Function: To carry impulses from the CNS to the effector.

Draw fig 19.3 c) pg 164

2. Cell body- consists of a nucleus surrounded by a cytoplasm in a cell membrane.

nerve fibre leading towards the cell body is called dendron.

Comparison of structure between sensory and motor neurone

Sensory neurone Motor neurone

-A reflex action refers to a rapid, automatic response to a stimulus.

Draw fig on page 4.a) of handout.

-Reflexes can be in the form of a) cranial reflexes

-It consists of thousands of nerve cells.

-It is found below the hypothalamus of the brain.

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