A system that controls all of the

activities of the body.

The nervous system is made of:
The brain The spinal cord

The nerves The senses

 The nervous system also allows you to
react to a stimulus.

A stimulus is a change in the environment.

Example: A hot stove

Or… tripping over a rock
 Your reactions are automatic.

Automatic means that you do not

have to think about your reactions.

Example: If a bug flies by your eye,

you will blink.
The Nervous System and the Endocrine System
(Introduction)
• The nervous system and endocrine system coordinate
other organ systems to maintain homeostasis

• The nervous system is fast, short acting

• The endocrine system is slower, but longer lasting

• The nervous system is the most complex system in the

body
Functions of the Nervous System

• Monitors the body's internal and external environments

• Integrates sensory information

• Coordinates voluntary and involuntary responses

Divisions of the Nervous System

• Anatomical divisions are:

• The central nervous system (CNS)
• Made up of the brain and spinal cord

• Integrates and coordinates input and output

• The peripheral nervous system (PNS)

• All the neural tissues outside of the CNS

• The connection between the CNS and the organs

 CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
Information
processing

PERIPHERAL Sensory information Motor commands

NERVOUS within within
SYSTEM afferent division efferent division
includes

Somatic Autonomic
nervous nervous system
system

Parasympathetic Sympathetic
division division

Receptors Effectors
Smooth
muscle
Somatic sensory Visceral sensory Skeletal
receptors (monitor receptors (monitor muscle Cardiac
the outside world internal conditions muscle
and our position and the status Glands
in it) of other organ
systems)

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Divisions of the Nervous System

• Functional divisions are:

• The afferent division
• Includes sensory receptors and neurons that send information to
the CNS

• The efferent division

• Includes neurons that send information to the effectors, which
are the muscles and glands
Efferent Division of the Nervous System

• Further divided into:

• The somatic nervous system (SNS)
• Controls skeletal muscle

• The autonomic nervous system (ANS)

• Controls smooth and cardiac muscle, and glands

• Has two parts

1. Sympathetic division

2. Parasympathetic division
 Neurons
• Cells that communicate with one another and other cells
• Associated with neuroglia – regulate environment around the
neurons
• Basic structure of a neuron includes:
• Cell body
• Dendrites
• Which receive signals
• Axons
• Which carry signals to the next cell
• Axon terminals
• Bulb-shaped endings that form a synapse with the next cell
 Neurons
• Have a very limited ability to regenerate
when damaged or destroyed
• Cell bodies contain:
– Mitochondria, free and fixed ribosomes, and rough
endoplasmic reticulum
• Free ribosomes and RER form Nissl bodies and
give the tissue a gray color (gray matter)
– The axon hillock
• Where electrical signal begins
 The Anatomy of a Representative Neuron.

Cell body
Mitochondrion
Golgi apparatus
Axon hillock Axon terminals
Dendrite Collateral

Nucleus
Axon (may be myelinated)
Nucleolus
Nerve cell body
Nucleolus
Nucleus
Axon hillock
Nissl bodies
Nissl bodies

Nerve cell body

LM x 1500
 Structural Classification of Neurons
• Based on the relationship of the dendrites to the cell body

– Multipolar neurons
• Are the most common in the CNS and have two or more dendrites and
one axon

– Unipolar neurons
• Have the cell body off to one side, most abundant in the afferent
division

– Bipolar neurons
• Have one dendrite and one axon with the cell body in the middle, and
are rare
 A Structural Classification of Neurons.

Multipolar neuron

Unipolar neuron

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Bipolar neuron

 Sensory Neurons
• Also called afferent neurons

• Total 10 million or more

• Receive information from sensory receptors

– Somatic sensory receptors

• Detect stimuli concerning the outside world, in the form of
external receptors

– And our position in it, in the form of proprioceptors

– Visceral or internal receptors

• Monitor the internal organs
 Motor Neurons
• Also called efferent neurons

• Total about half a million in number

• Carry information to peripheral targets

called effectors
– Somatic motor neurons

• Innervate skeletal muscle

– Visceral motor neurons

• Innervate cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and

glands
 Interneurons
• Also called association neurons

• By far the most numerous type at about 20

billion

• Are located in the CNS

• Function as links between sensory and

motor processes

• Have higher functions

– Such as memory, planning, and learning
 The Synapse
• A junction between a neuron and another cell

• Occurs because of chemical messengers called

neurotransmitters

• Communication happens in one direction only

• Between a neuron and another cell type is a neuroeffector

junction
– Such as the neuromuscular junction or neuroglandular junction
 A Synapse between Two Neurons
• Occurs:
– Between the axon terminals of the presynaptic
neuron
– Across the synaptic cleft
– To the dendrite or cell body of the
postsynaptic neuron
• Neurotransmitters
– Stored in vesicles of the axon terminals
– Released into the cleft and bind to receptors on
the postsynaptic membrane
 Reflexes

• Rapid, automatic, unlearned motor response to a stimulus

• Usually removes or opposes the original stimulus
• Monosynaptic reflexes
– For example, the stretch reflex
• Which responds to muscle spindles, is the simplest with only
one synapse
• The best known stretch reflex is probably the knee jerk reflex
 Simple Reflexes

• Are wired in a reflex arc

– A stimulus activates a sensory receptor

– An action potential travels down an afferent neuron

– Information processing occurs with the interneuron

– An action potential travels down an efferent neuron

– The effector organ responds

 Figure 8-28 The Components of a Reflex Arc.

Sensation
Dorsal relayed to the
Arrival of Activation of a root brain by axon
stimulus and sensory neuron collaterals
activation of
receptor
Information
REFLEX processing
ARC in the CNS
Receptor
Stimulus
Effector
Response by KEY
effector Ventral Sensory
root neuron
(stimulated)
Activation of a
motor neuron Excitatory
interneuron
Motor neuron
(stimulated)
 Figure 8-29 A Stretch Reflex.

Stretching of muscle tendon

stimulates muscle spindles

Muscle spindle
(stretch receptor)
Stretch

Spinal
Cord
REFLEX
ARC

Contraction

Activation of motor
neuron produces reflex
muscle contraction

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Autonomic Nervous System

• Unconscious adjustment of homeostatically essential

visceral responses
– Sympathetic division

– Parasympathetic division

• The somatic NS and ANS are anatomically different

– SNS: one neuron to skeletal muscle

– ANS: two neurons to cardiac and smooth muscle, glands, and fat
cells
 Figure 8-33 The Organization of the Somatic and Autonomic Nervous Systems.

Upper motor Visceral motor nuclei in

neurons in hypothalamus
Primary
motor
cortex

BRAIN BRAIN
Somatic
motor nuclei
of brain stem Preganglionic neuron
Visceral
Effectors
Smooth
muscle
Autonomic
Glands Autonomic nuclei in
Skeletal Lower SPINAL ganglia brain stem
muscle motor CORD Cardiac Ganglionic SPINAL CORD
neurons muscle neurons

Somatic Autonomic
motor nuclei in
nuclei of spinal cord
spinal cord Preganglionic
Adipocytes neuron
Skeletal
muscle

Somatic nervous system Autonomic nervous system

The Sympathetic Division (8-11)
• Sympathetic chain
– Arises from spinal segments T1–L2
– The preganglionic fibers enter the sympathetic chain
ganglia just outside the spinal column
– Collateral ganglia are unpaired ganglia that receive
splanchnic nerves from the lower thoracic and upper
lumbar segments
– Postganglionic neurons innervate abdominopelvic
cavity
 The Sympathetic Division
• The adrenal medullae
– Are innervated by preganglionic fibers

– Are modified neural tissue that secrete E and NE into

capillaries, functioning like an endocrine gland

– The effect is nearly identical to that of the sympathetic

postganglionic stimulation of adrenergic synapses
 Figure 8-34 The Sympathetic Division.

Eye
PONS
Salivary
glands

Sympathetic nerves
Cervical Heart
sympathetic
ganglia
T1 T1 Cardiac and
Spinal nerves Splanchnic pulmonary
nerve plexuses Lung
Collateral
Coll- ganglion
ateral Liver and
ganglion gallbladder
Stomach
Splan-
chnic Spleen
nerves Pancreas
Large
Postganglionic intestine
fibers to spinal
nerves Collateral Small
(innervating skin, L2 L2 ganglion intestine
blood vessels,
sweat glands, Adrenal
arrector pili medulla
muscles,
adipose tissue) Kidney
Sympathetic
chain ganglia
KEY Spinal cord
Preganglionic
© neurons
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Ganglionic neurons Ovary Penis Scrotum Urinary bladder
Uterus
 The Sympathetic Division

• Also called the "fight-or-flight" division

• Effects
– Increase in alertness, metabolic rate, sweating, heart
rate, blood flow to skeletal muscle
– Dilates the respiratory bronchioles and the pupils
– Blood flow to the digestive organs is decreased
– E and NE from the adrenal medullae support and
prolong the effect
 The Parasympathetic Division

• Preganglionic neurons arise from the brain

stem and sacral spinal cord
• Include cranial nerves III, VII, IX, and X,
the vagus, a major parasympathetic nerve
• Ganglia very close to or within the target
organ
• Preganglionic fibers of the sacral areas form
the pelvic nerves
 The Parasympathetic Division
• Less divergence than in the sympathetic
division, so effects are more localized
• Also called "rest-and digest" division
• Effects
– Constriction of the pupils, increase in digestive
secretions, increase in digestive tract smooth
muscle activity
– Stimulates urination and defecation
– Constricts bronchioles, decreases heart rate
 Figure 8-35 The Parasympathetic Division.
Terminal ganglion
N III Lacrimal gland
Eye
PONS Terminal ganglion
N VII
Terminal ganglion Salivary glands
N IX
Terminal
ganglion
N X (Vagus) Heart

Cardiac and
pulmonary
plexuses Lungs

Liver and gallbladder

Stomach
Spleen
Pancreas
Large intestine
Pelvic
nerves Small intestine
Rectum

Spinal S2 Kidney
cord S3
S4

KEY Urinary
Preganglionic neurons bladder
Ganglionic neurons © 2013 Pearson
Uterus Education,
Ovary Inc.
Penis Scrotum
 Dual Innervation

• Refers to both divisions affecting the same

organs

• Mostly have antagonistic / Opposite effects

• Some organs are innervated by only one

division
 Aging and the Nervous System
• Common changes
– Reduction in brain size and weight and reduction in
number of neurons

– Reduction in blood flow to the brain

– Change in synaptic organization of the brain

– Increase in intracellular deposits and extracellular

plaques

– Senility can be a result of all these changes

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Outer Nervous System is made of
the nerves and the sense organs.

Nerves Sense organs

Messages carried throughout the body
by nerves.
* The Central Nervous System controls
all of the body’s activities.

* The Central Nervous System is

made of two main organs.
1. The brain

2. The spinal cord

* The spinal cord sends messages to the
brain.
* The spinal cord is the part of the
nervous system that connects the brain
to the rest of the nervous system.
* The brain controls everything in the
body.
* The brain is made of more than 10
billion nerves!

* The brain is divided into three

parts and is protected by the skull.
* The Brain has three main parts…

1. The Cerebrum

2. The Cerebellum

3. The Brain Stem

 An organ that controls your
emotions, your thoughts, and every
movement you make.