NERVOUS SYSTEM

NEED OF NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Keeps us informed through sense organs.
• Enables us to think, remember and to reason out.
• Controls and harmonises all voluntary muscular activities.
• Regulates involuntary activities.
STRUCTURE OF NEURON

(LEARN TO DRAW A LABELLED DIAGRAM OF NEURON)

• The three main parts of the neuron- Cell body, dendrites and axon.
• Cell body or Cyton contains a nucleus surrounded by cytoplasm.
• Almost all cell organelles present.
• Centrosome absent as the nerve cells have lost the ability to divide. (GIVE REASON)
• Dendrites are branched cytoplasmic projections of the Cyton.
• They conduct nerve impulse to the Cyton.
• The Axon is a long process from the Cyton.
• The axon is covered by a white insulating sheath called myelin sheath which is
covered by an outer thin sheath called neurolemma or neurilemma. (MYELIN
SHEATH is an insulating sheath which allows the impulses to travel quickly and
efficiently).
• The gaps seen throughout the axon are called Nodes of Ranvier.
• The end portions of the axons have swollen ends like “bulbs” which store some
chemicals called neurotransmitters.
• Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter.
• Axons are closely placed near the dendrites of another one or more neuron, but
are not connected.
• Such gaps seen in between two neurons (axon of one neuron and dendrites of
another neuron) are called Synaptic clefts. (DEFINITION)
• The point of contact between the terminal branches of the axon of a neuron with
the dendrites of another neuron separated by a fine gap is called Synapse.
(DEFINITION)
• STIMULUS: It is an agent or a sudden change of the external or internal
environment that results in a change in an organism or any of its body parts. e.g.
light, sound, heat, pain, hunger.
• RESPONSE: It is the change in an organism resulting due to a stimulus
• IMPULSE: It is a wave of irritability (electrical disturbance that sweeps over the
nerve cell).
• RECEPTORS: These are specialized epithelial cells which, on receiving a stimulus,
sets up a wave of impulses towards the Central Nervous System. e.g.
Photoreceptors (sight), Phono-receptors (sound), Thermoreceptors (temperature),
olfactory receptors (smell) and so on in our sense organs.
• EFFECTORS: The muscles or glands which, on receiving the impulse from the brain
or spinal cord, contract or secrete substances.
TYPES OF NEURONS
• SENSORY NEURON- Covey impulse from the receptor or sense organs to the brain
or spinal cord.
• MOTOR NEURON- Carry the impulse from the brain and spinal cord to the effector
(muscle or gland).
• ASSOCIATION (CONNECTING) NEURON-located in the brain and spinal cord, which
interconnects the sensory and motor neuron.
• NERVE: Nerve is a bundle of nerve fibres (axons) of separate neurons, enclosed in a
tubular sheath.
TYPES OF NERVES
SENSORY NERVE CONTAINS ONLY SENSORY FIBRES
MOTOR NERVE CONTAINS ONLY MOTOR FIBRES
MIXED NERVES CONTAINS BOTH SENSORY AND MOTOR FIBRES.
 GANGLIA are the aggregation of the nerve cells (cell bodies) from which the nerve
fibres may arise or enter into.
BRAIN
• Protected inside brain box or cranium
• Meninges are the three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
• DURA MATER- The outer most tough fibrous membrane of meninges.
• ARACNOID- The thin delicate middle layer of meninges giving a web-like
cushion.
• PIA MATER-The innermost highly vascular membrane of meninges, richly
supplied with blood.
• Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges.
• The space between the covering membranes is filled with a watery fluid-
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which acts as a cushion to protect the brain from
shocks. (FUNCTION)
• The cerebrospinal fluid also fills the central spaces (ventricles) of the brain and
the central canal of the spinal cord.

PARTS OF THE BRAIN

The brain has three main parts visible externally.
• The Cerebrum
• The Cerebellum
• The Medulla oblongata or Brain stem.
CEREBRUM
• The cerebrum is the largest portion of the brain located in the fore brain.
• It is divided into two (right and left) halves called cerebral hemispheres.
• Their outer surface is highly convoluted with ridges and grooves.
• It is the layer of gray matter which is folded to form the convolutions. The folds are
called gyri and the grooves are called sulci. This increases the surface area to
accommodate more nerve cells.
• It is believed that higher the number of convolutions in the human brain is due to
the larger number of brain (nerve) cells and hence greater intelligence.
• OUTER Cerebral cortex- gray matter- Cyton or cell body of neuron.
• INNER Cerebral Medulla- white matter- Axon of neuron
CORPUS CALLOSUM - LOCATION: Corpus callosum (hard body) is a sheet of fibres
connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.
FUNCTION: Transfers information from one cerebral hemisphere to the other.
FUNCTIONS OF CEREBRUM
• Enables us to think, reason out, invent, plan and memorise. (TRIP-M)
• Seat of intelligence, consciousness and will power.
• It controls all voluntary action.
• The subconscious or unconscious mind is also located in the cerebrum.
• Many past experiences are covered up by more recent impressions which
dominate conscious activity.
CEREBELLUM
• The cerebellum is a much smaller area of the brain located in the hind brain just at
the base and under the large cerebrum.
• It has no convolutions, but has numerous furrows. This also has an outer cortex
made of gray matter.
• Centrally, it has white matter which, in a median section, appears like a branching
tree.
• The main FUNCTION OF THE CEREBELLUM is to maintain ‘balance’ of the body and
coordinate muscular activity.
• NOTE
• The impulse for performing a muscular act, originates in the cerebrum and not in
the cerebellum.
• An alcoholic person when drunk generally walks clumsily. The cerebellum, due to
the effect of alcohol, is unable to coordinate muscular movements and maintain
balance of the body properly. (GIVE REASON)
• PONS: LOCATION: Located in the HIND BRAIN and in the centre of the brain below
the cerebellum.
• FUNCTION: It carries impulses from one hemisphere of the cerebellum to the other
hemisphere of the cerebellum and coordinates muscular movements on both the
sides of the body.
MEDULLA OBLONGATA
• Medulla is the lowest portion of the brain located at the base of the skull in the
HIND BRAIN.
• It is roughly triangular and is continued behind as the spinal cord.
• FUNCTION: It controls the activities of the internal organs for example Beating of
the heart, movement of breathing, peristaltic movement of the alimentary canal
and other involuntary actions.
• Injury to Medulla generally leads to death because it controls the activities of the
internal organs for example Beating of the heart, movement of breathing.(GIVE
REASON)
REFER FOR LOCATION AND FUNCTION
• FOREBRAIN
• 1. CEREBRUM- Seat of intelligence, memory, consciousness, will power, voluntary
actions.
• 2. Diencephalon
a. Thalamus- relays pain and pressure impulses to cerebrum.
b. Hypothalamus- Controls body temperature and pituitary.
• MIDBRAIN- a small tubular part controls reflexes involving eyes and ears.
• HINDBRAIN
• 1. CEREBELLUM- coordinates muscular activity, balance of the body.
• 2. PONS- located in the centre of the brain below the cerebellum and it carries
impulses from one hemisphere of the cerebellum to the other hemisphere and
controls muscular movements on both the sides of the body.
• 3. MEDULLA OBLONGATA- controls the activities of the internal organs, heart beat,
breathing etc.
SPINAL CORD
• The spinal cord extends from the medulla of the brain down almost the whole
length of the backbone and ends at the second lumbar vertebrae and lies within
the neural canal of the vertebrae.
• Externally it is covered by the same three membranes dura mater, arachnoid and
pia mater in continuation with those of the brain.
• The white matter and gray matter is reversed from that of the brain.
• The gray matter – cell bodies – inside
• The white matter- axon- outside.
• A small central canal present in the centre which runs the entire length and is
continuous with the cavities of the brain.
• It is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
• FUNCTION: Acts as a shock absorber.
• Forms a medium for exchange of food materials, waste products and respiratory
gases with neurons.
 •
• LEARN TO DRAW A LABELLED DIAGRAM
FUNCTIONS OF SPINAL CORD
• Concerned with reflexes below the neck.
• Conducts sensory impulses from the skin and muscles to the brain.
• Conducts motor responses from the brain to the muscles of the trunk and limbs.

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM- SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

CRANIAL NERVES
• Emerge from brain
• 12 pairs
• Sensory- olfactory, optic and auditory.
• Motor- nerves going to the eye muscle.
• Mixed – nerves going to and coming from the face and tongue.
SPINAL NERVES
• Emerge from the spinal cord.
• 31 pairs
• Every spinal nerve is a mixed nerve having both sensory and motor fibre.

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM- AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

• The autonomic nervous system (ANS) consists of a pair of chains of nerves and
ganglia on either side of the backbone.
• This system controls all the involuntary actions of the internal organs.
• There are two parts of the autonomic nervous system
 • 1. SYMPATHETIC (Nerves arises from the region between the neck and the waist
region)
• FUNCTION: Prepares body for VIOLENT action against abnormal condition.

• 2. PARASYMPATHETIC (located at two places one in the head and neck and the
other posteriorly in the sacral region).
• FUNCTION Concerned with re-establishing normal conditions after the violent act is
over
• These two parts in general are, opposite to each other in action.

• REFER TABLE 10.1 IN PAGE 130 FOR EFFECTS

REFLEX ACTION
• There are two types of actions that occur in our body: Voluntary (performed
consciously) and Involuntary (performed unconsciously)
• REFLEX ACTION is the automatic/quick/ immediate, involuntary action in the body
brought about by a stimulus.
Reflex arc is the shortest route that can be taken by an impulse from the receptor to
the effector.
STIMULUS RECEPTOR  SENSORY NEURON CNS MOTOR NEURON EFFECTOR
RESPONSE.
TYPES OF REFLEXES
NATURAL REFLEX: No previous learning or experience is required.
BLINKING, COUGHING, SNEEZING, SWALLOWING, SALIVATION
CONDITIONED or AQUIRED REFLEX: It is the automatic/quick/ immediate, involuntary
action in the body brought about due to previously learned experience.
LESRN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATURAL AND AQUIRED REFLEXES FROM PAGE 133.
CNS- Central Nervous System
PNS- Peripheral Nervous System
ANS- Autonomic Nervous System
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