The Nervous system

Lesson To define the function of the

Nervous system
objectives
To enumerate the parts of the
nervous system

To define a “Neuron”, the basic

unit of the Nervous system
Functions of the
Nervous System
• To coordinate all body functions like
• Breathing
• Movement
• Heartbeat
• Vision
• Hearing
• Digestion
• Respiration
Parts of the
nervous
system
The Neuron
Functions of the
Neuron and
types of
Neurons
The three types of
neurons
The Reflex
arc
Exit ticket
ALEF – Lesson 75
The nerve Impulse- How
is a message transmitted
• A nerve impulse is an electric charge
travelling the length of the axon
• It results from a stimulus, such as a loud
noise, or any thing that requires a response
• A neuron is at rest when it is not conducting
any impulse
• There are more sodium ions (Na+) outside
the cell
• There are more potassium ions (K+) inside
the cell
• For every 2 K ions pumped in, 3 Na ions are
pumped out by the sodium potassium pump
 Its another name for a nerve impulse.

A minimum impulse to start an action potential is

called threshold.

An action They are all or nothing, a stronger impulse does not

cause a stronger potential.

potential Upon threshold, the pumps open up and Na ions

rush inside. There is a temporary reversal of charges.

The inside now is positively charged, which causes

other channels to open.

Potassium ions leave the cell through the pump to

restore positive charges
Action
potential
• Clorine ions play an
important role
Speed of an action potential

• The myelin sheath covers many

neurons, and it has many gaps,
called the Nodes of Ranvier.
• The action potential jumps from
node to node, since Na and K ions
cannot travel through the sheath.
• Some neurons have myelin
sheath, some do not.
• Neurons with myelin sheath carry
impulses like sharp pain, and non
myelinated neurons carry
impulses like dull throbbing pain
Nervous
transmission-
How are the
messages
transmitted

The Synaptic
cleft
The Nervous System - Revision
• Lesson objectives
• To revise the structure of the ear
• To do revision tests on LMS for The neuron and the Central and
Peripheral Nervous system
• Finish Checkpoint on Alef
Do now
• Follow this link on Teams and please label the different parts of the
ears
• https://www.liveworksheets.com/fr19668vg
• Submit it on Teams
• Login to LMS and do Test 2 and Test 3
Neurotransmitters
• It is a chemical that diffuses across a synapse and binds to the
receptors on the dendrites of a neighboring neuron.
• This causes channels to open on the neighbor cells and create a new
action potential
• There are more than 25 known neurotransmitters. Examples – acetyl
choline, dopamine, serotonin.
• The neurotransmitter does not remain on the receptor for long.
Central Nervous System – The brain and the Spinal
cord
 • The brain has 100 billion neurons
The central nervous • It is the control center of the body
system – The Brain • There are two distinct hemispheres
• It is divided into three parts, forebrain,
mid brain and hind brain
The cerebrum
• It is the largest part of the
brain
• It is divided into two
hemispheres, which are
connected to each other by a
bundle of nerves
• The cerebrum is involved
with learning, thought
processes, memory,
language, speech, voluntary
movements, sight, hearing,
sensory perception.
The Cerebellum
- Midbrain
• The cerebellum controls
balance, posture and
coordination.
• It is responsible for smooth
movements and involved
with motor skills like playing
the piano and riding a bicycle
Medulla Oblongata -
Hindbrain
• The brain stem is connected to the
spinal cord
• It is made up of two regions – medulla
oblongata and pons
• The medulla oblongata controls
breathing rate, heartbeat and blood
pressure. It also has reflexes for
vomiting, gagging, coughing and
sneezing
• The pons relays signals between
ccerebrum and cerebellum, and also
controls rate of breathing
The hypothalamus

• Located between brainstem and

cerebrum
• It regulates body temperature, thirst,
appetite, sleep,aggression, fear and
water balance
• Maintains Homeostasis
The Spinal cord

• Extends from brain to lower back

• Protected by 33 vertebrae
• Processes reflex actions
Peripheral
Nervous
System
PNS – The peripheral nervous system
The autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic and
parasympathetic
nervous system
The Sense Organs
• Sensory receptors are present in the 5 sense
organs- the eyes, the ears, the nose, the
mouth and theskin, which allow you tosee,
hear, smell taste and feel pressure, pain and
temperature.
Taste and
smell
• Taste and smell often function
together
• The olfactory receptors on the
nose send information to olfactory
bulbs in the brain, which can
recognize over a 100 thousand
smells
• Taste buds on the tongue have
specialized receptors for sweet,
salty, sour and bitter.
• These receptors work together to
detect a variety of different
combinations of taste and smell
The eyes
• Light enters through the
cornea, and through the pupil,
it gets focused from the lens
to the retina.
• The retina has receptors called
rods and cones.
• The rods are light sensitive
and detect in low light
• The cones function in bright
light and detect colors
• The optic nerve sends
message to the brain
The ears
• The ears are responsible for
hearing and balance.
• Sound waves enter the auditory
canal and cause a membrane, the
tympanum to vibrate.
• Sound energy is converted into
vibrations which travel through the
middle ear which has three bones,
malleus, incus and stapes.
• It causes the oval window to vibrate
• In the inner ear, the Cochlea is lined
with tiny hair cells and a fluid. The
vibration causes them to move like a
wave.
• The hair responds by generating
nerve impulses in the auditory nerve
and send them to the brain
Balance
• The inner ear has organs for
balance, the semi-circular canals.
• They transmit information about
the body position and balance to
the brain
• There are three canals positioned
at right angles to each other.
• When the position of the head
changes, the fluid within the
semicircular canal moves.
• This sends nerve impulses to the
brain, which determines your body
position
Drugs
• Can also be common everyday
substances
How they work
• They can cause an increase in the
amount of neurotransmitter that is
released into the synapse
• They can block a receptor on the site
of binding to prevent
neurotransmitter from binding.
• It can prevent a neurotransmitter
from leaving the synapse
• It can imitate a neurotransmitter
 Many drugs that affect the
nervous system influence the
level of the neurotransmitter
called Dopamine

It is found in the brain and and is

Dopamine involved in the control of
movements and other functions

It is also strongly involved in the

feeling of reward or pleasure
Classes of
commonly
abused drugs
Classes of
drugs

Stimulants Depressants Halucinogens

Nicotine Alcohol Marijuana
Caffeine Inhalants Hashish
Nicotine and • Nicotine found • Caffeine found
in tea, coffee,
caffeine in cigarettes chocolate and
• Increases the colas
amount of • Works by
dopamine binding to the
adenosine
• Linked to heart receptors on
diseases and the brain
cancers • Makes us feel
awake and alert
Depressants • Alcohol
• It is a depressant
• Inhalants
• Chemical fumes that act as
– Drugs that depressants
• Produce short term effects
tend to slow • Gives a feeling of relaxation
and sluggishness
of intoxication

down the • Impairs judgement and • Cause memory loss,vision

problems, hearing loss
coordination
nervous • Long term effects are liver
system failure, high blood pressure
Tolerance and addiction
Treatments