Nervous

System
Structure and Purpose of the Nervous System
Introduction
Your nervous system serves as the command center for your
body. It is controlled by your brain and governs your motions,
thoughts, and automatic responses to the environment around
you. Additionally, it regulates other bodily functions and
systems, including digestion, respiration, and sexual
development (puberty). Your nervous system can be harmed by
diseases, accidents, pollutants, and the natural aging process.
 Table of contents

LESSON 29 LESSON 30
01 How Is the Nervous System Designed
to Perform Its Functions? 02 How Do the Parts of the Nervous
System Work Together?

LESSON 31
03 How Do We Take Care of Our
Nervous System?
01
How Is the Nervous System
Designed to Perform Its Functions?

Lesson 29
 HOW DOES THE NERVOUS SYSTEM WORK?

The nervous system works by sending

electrochemical signals from one neuron to
another.

Lesson 29 How Is the Nervous System Designed to Perform Its Functions?

 WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF A NERVOUS SYSTEM?

1. Receiving a stimulus
2. Making a response to that stimulus

Lesson 29 How Is the Nervous System Designed to Perform Its Functions?

 Our body processes are controlled or regulated in two ways: through the
nervous system and chemically by the hormonal secretions of the
endocrine system.

• Stimulus - any change in the environment that causes us to react.

It is perceived by a cell or organ called a receptor.

• Receptor - a cell or organ that perceives stimulus

• Effector – a cell or organ that demonstrates body’s response to

such stimulus
Lesson 29 How Is the Nervous System Designed to Perform Its Functions?
Lesson 29 How Is the Nervous System Designed to Perform Its Functions?
 THE STRUCTURE OF MAN’S NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS TWO DIVISIONS:

1. CENTRAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
2. PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM

Lesson 29.1 Structure of Man's Nervous Sytem

 THE STRUCTURE OF MAN’S NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS TWO DIVISIONS:
BRAIN

SPINAL CORD
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of the

brain and spinal cord. It is one of 2 parts of the 
nervous system. The central nervous system is the
body’s processing center. The brain controls most
of the functions of the body, including awareness,
movement, thinking, speech, and the five senses of
seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling.

Lesson 29.1 Structure of Man's Nervous Sytem

 THE STRUCTURE OF MAN’S NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS TWO DIVISIONS:

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the part of your
nervous system that exists outside of your brain and spinal
cord. It is responsible for both transmitting information
from various sections of your body back to your brain
and carrying out commands from your brain to various
parts of your body. Most of your senses are fed into your
brain by your PNS. It sends impulses to your muscles,
allowing you to move them. Also, your PNS transmits
signals to the brain, which it then uses to regulate automatic
functions like breathing and heartbeat.

Lesson 29.1 Structure of Man's Nervous Sytem

 PERIPHERAL NERVOUS
SYSTEM
Your peripheral nervous system extends everywhere in your body
that isn’t your spinal cord or brain. It includes:
• CRANIAL NERVES
The cranial nerves are a set of 12 paired nerves in the back of your
brain. Cranial nerves send electrical signals between your brain, face, neck
and torso. Your cranial nerves help you taste, smell, hear and feel
sensations.
• SPINAL NERVES
There are 31 pairs of nerves that attach to the vertebrae that make up
your spine at roughly the same level. Spinal nerves are bundles of
nerve fibers that attach to the spinal cord and convey information to
and from it. Spinal nerves are necessary for higher nervous system
centers to control body components.

Lesson 29.1 Structure of Man's Nervous Sytem

 The nervous system consists of two types of cells:

• Neurons/ Nerve Cells

It is the functional unit of the nervous system. Neurons are information
transmitters. They send information between different parts of the brain
and between the brain and the rest of the nervous system through electrical
impulses and chemical signals.

• Supporting Cells
Supporting cells protect and assist the nerve cells. They serve as
immunological sentinels and support and protect neurons in addition to
assisting in preserving a healthy blood supply to the brain.

Lesson 29.1.1 The Neuron

STRUCTURE OF A NEURON
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF A NEURON
• SENSORY NEURONS
 carry impulses from the sense organs to the brain or
spinal cord.
• MOTOR NEURONS
carry impulses from the brain or spinal cord to the muscles.
• ASSOCIATIVE NEURONS/ INTERNEURONS
located at the central nervous system, process the
impulses from the sensory neurons, and then relay
directives to motor neurons.

Lesson 29.1.1 The Neuron

Neurons appear in bunches. The long fibers of a bunch of neurons are
bundled together, forming a nerve.

■ SENSORY NERVE
consists of the long fibers of a bunch of sensory neurons.

■ MOTOR NERVE
a motor nerve consists of the long fibers of a bunch of motor
neurons.
■ MIXED NERVE
a bundle of long fibers of sensory and motor neurons together.
TYPES OF NEURONS
NEURONS
02
How Do the Parts of the Nervous
System Work Together?

Lesson 30
Lesson 30 How Do the Parts of the Nervous System Work Together?
This diagram depicts the link between
the components of the nervous
system. The receptor sense organ
detects the stimuli that the sensory
nerves transmit to the central nervous
system. The brain and/or the spinal
cord process this. Commands or
directions are conveyed from the
central nervous system to the
appropriate effector via the motor
nerves.

Lesson 30.1 Reflex Arc

For instance, when one accidentally touches a cactus spine

Sensory neurons transmit the nerve pulses from

receptor cells of the skin are stimulated the receptors to the associative neurons located in
the spinal cord

An associative neuron relays the impulses to

a motor neuron

The motor neuron ends in a muscle of the arm.

The muscle responds by contracting; the hand is
withdrawn away from the cactus.

Lesson 30.1 Reflex Arc

 When a person inadvertently touches a cactus spine, only
a fraction of a second passes between the time the stimulus
is received and the response is given. This is a reflex
action that does not require any thought. A reflex arc is
the basic course traversed by the nerve impulse of a reflex
action.

Lesson 30.1 Reflex Arc

 • SYNAPSE - two neurons situated end-to-end are not
directly connected. A microscopic space called synapse
exists.
• NEUROHORMONE - a nerve hormone released by the
neuron as soon as an impulse reaches the end of the axon
Neurohormone diffuses through the synapse to the other
neuron. It is responsible for the transmission of an impulse
from one neuron to another; thus, also known as
neurotransmitter.
• ACETYLCHOLINE –it is a motor neuron that releases
neurohormone/neuro transmitter. It stimulates muscles to
contract
• CHOLINESTERASE – an enzyme released by the neuron that
makes the action of acetylcholine ineffective
Lesson 30.2 Passage of an Impulse from One Neuron to Another
L Our body's network of nerves has a
e processing center called the central
s nervous system. It decodes the signals
s from the receptors and sends the
o relevant impulses to the right effectors.
The brain and spinal cord are the two
n
components of the central nervous
system, and they are both protected by
3 the skull and vertebral column,
0 respectively.
.
3
The Central Nervous System: Brain and
Spinal Cord
Lesson 30.3.1 The Brain The gray and white matter areas of
the central nervous system are
distinct.

• GRAY MATTER – is the darker,

outer part of the brain. It contains
the cell bodies and dendrites of the
brain neurons; thus, rich in neuron-
to-neuron synapses where
neurological associations take
place.

• WHITE MATTER – is the lighter,

interior part is referred to as white
matter. It is dominated by
myelinated axons; its whiteness is
due to the protective myelin sheath.
 PARTS OF THE BRAIN
The parts of the brain may be grouped as follows:
I. FOREBRAIN
The forebrain is the brain's biggest part. It is separated into three major parts: the
cerebrum, the thalamus, and the hypothalamus.
CEREBRUM
a) It has two colored regions the gray matter that is the seat of thinking,
reasoning, and power of imagination; sensory-motor coordination, origin of
alt cerebral functions, and white matter that relays impulses between the
cortex and the rest of the brain and spinal cord.
b) Has two cerebral hemispheres left cerebral hemisphere for language, logic,
and mathematics abilities and right cerebral hemisphere for spatial
perception, musical ability, artistic ability
 PARTS OF THE BRAIN
The parts of the brain may be grouped as follows:
THALAMUS
Thalamus is for directs all incoming sensory information to the cortex; also
handles outgoing motor impulses.
HYPOTHALAMUS
It maintains homeostasis; regulates many hormones, blood pressure, body
temperature, heart rate, hunger, thirst, and emotions
II. MIDBRAIN
relays sensory information to the cerebrum: coordinates eye reflexes,
also helps regulate sleep
 PARTS OF THE BRAIN
The parts of the brain may be grouped as follows:
III. HINDBRAIN
The hindbrain consists of three main parts:
a)PONS
relay information between the spinal cord and the brain through their sensory and
motor neurons; regulate breathing, heartbeat, and digestion, also coordinate walking
and other movements of the body regulates balance and muscle coordination
b) MEDULLA OBLONGATA
regulate breathing, heartbeat, and digestion, also coordinate walking and other
movements of the body
c) CEREBELLUM
regulates balance and muscle coordination
Lesson 30.3.2 The Spinal Cord

The spinal cord, a bundle of nerves

located inside the spine, serves as a
conduit for nerve impulses traveling to
or from the brain. For processing
nerve signals, it offers a concentrated
mass of neurons. The spinal cord
serves as a channel for impulses
traveling from sensory to motor
neurons, as was indicated in the
explanation of the reflex arc.
The peripheral nervous system is made
up of a network of nerves that link the
body's many glands and organs to the
central nervous system. It is responsible
for conscious awareness of and reaction to
conditions in our body and our environment.
The peripheral nervous system is divided into
somatic and autonomic systems.

Lesson 30.4 The Peripheral Nervous System:

Somatic and Autonomic Systems
• Somatic Nervous System
The 12 pairs of cranial nerves that come from the brain and the 31
pairs of spinal nerves that come from the spinal cord make up the
somatic nervous system. These nerves link the sensory organs,
voluntary muscles, and skeletal muscles to the brain and spinal
cord.
• Automic Nervous System

It links the spinal cord and brain to muscles that are not within
our conscious control. Examples of these include the heart's
muscles, blood arteries, lungs, digestive tract, liver, pancreas,
salivary and tear glands, urine bladder, and other internal organs.
 Sympathetic Nerve and
Lesson 30.5 Parasympathetic Nerve.

Sympathetic Nerve and Parasympathetic Nerve

These two nerves function in opposition to one another. The

two nerves' effects on the heart's muscles serve as one
illustration. The parasympathetic nerve slows down beating
while the sympathetic nerve causes the heart to beat more
quickly. In essence, the sympathetic and parasympathetic
nerves regulate and control one another's activity, keeping the
body in balance. This is one method for creating a steady
internal environment.
Sympathetic Nerve and Parasympathetic Nerve
Thank You!
Presentation by Group 3