Nervous System in Mammals I

What you will learn…

• state and explain the nervous system.

• outline the functions of sensory, relay and

motor neurones.

• discuss the function of the brain and spinal

cord in producing a coordinated response
as a result of a specific stimulus.
 What you will learn today..
• define sensitivity.
• explain what are receptors.
• state the overview of the pathway of nervous
system and its functions.
• state the parts of the nervous system.
• explain the structural characteristics of
neurons.
• differentiate an axon and a dendron.
• relate the structural characteristics to the
functions of the nerve fibres.
 Sensitivity
• Living things are able to react to changes
in the external environment.

• Sensitivity is the ability to respond to a

stimulus.

• The response is usually beneficial to the

organism.
 Sensitivity
• Euglena, a single-
celled organism can
make use of light to
carry out
photosynthesis.

• Thus, it will swim

towards light.
 Receptors
• A specialized cell that can sense something
about its environment.

• Information like light, sound, touch, temperature

and chemicals can stimulate the receptors.

• These type of information are called stimuli

(singular: stimulus).

• Receptors are often part of the sense organ.

 Nervous System
• Humans are made up of many different type of
cells.

• It is important to coordinate and control their

functions so that the whole body can survive and
function efficiently.

• This vital role is carried out by a system of

nerves.

• This is known as the nervous system.

 Nervous System (Process)

1.Danger is detected 2.Message is sent to 3.Brain interprets the

by sense organs. the brain along a message. Decides
sensory nerve. to run away.

The nervous system

coordinates the entire
process in a fraction of a
5.Muscles contract 4.Message is sent to
second.
and body moves the muscles along a
away. motor nerve.
 Nervous System
The nervous system performs
three functions:
• Collects information on the
internal and external
environment.

• Processes the information in

relation to past experiences.

• Acts upon the information by

coordinating the responses.
 Parts of Nervous System
brain cranial nerve
spinal cord
spinal nerves

Central Nervous Peripheral

System Nervous System
•Brain •Cranial nerves
•Spinal cord •Spinal nerves
•Sense organs
 Neurones
• The basic unit of the
nervous system is the
neurone (nerve cell).

• Like all animal cells, the

neurone has a cell
membrane, cytoplasm
and a nucleus.
 Neurones
• Neurones are highly
Cell body
specialised for their function
of receiving and
conducting impulses.

• Each neurone consists of a

cell body which contains the
nucleus.
Nerve fibres
• The most striking feature of
a neurone is its cytoplasmic
processes (nerve fibre).
 Nerve Fibres
There are two main type of nerve fibres:
• Axon  carries impulses away from the cell
body.
• Dendron  carries impulses towards the cell
body.
nerve impulses

axon
sense organ dendron
branches of axon
cell body with synaptic ends
 Nerve Fibres
• Each axon or dendron is surrounded by an insulating
fatty sheath called the myelin sheath.
• The myelin sheath is surrounded by a thin membrane
called the neurilemma.
• The myelin sheath is not continuous but separated at
intervals by nodes of Ranvier.
nerve impulses
motor end
plates
Myelin sheath

axon
muscles fibres Neurilemma Nodes of Ranvier dendrites
cell body
 Neurones
• Myelin sheath  Insulating layer

• Neurilemma  Provides nourishment

• Nodes of  Speeds up transmission

Ranvier
 What you will learn today…
• describe the structural characteristics and
functions of the 3 types of neurones.

• describe the structural characteristics and

functions of the synapse.

• state the pathway which nervous impulse is

transmitted.

• state the two distinct regions of the central

nervous system.
 Neurones
There are 3 main types of neurones:

• Sensory/Receptor neurones

• Motor/Effector neurones

• Intermediate/Relay neurones
 CNS

Sensory Neurone
• Transmit impulses from the
sense organs/receptors (ears,
eyes, touch receptors,
temperature receptors etc.) to
CNS.

• Has a long dendron and a

short axon.
 CNS

Motor Neurone
• Transmit impulses from the
CNS to the effectors (muscles,
or glands etc.)

• Has a long axon and a short

dendron which branches out to
form dendrites.
Relay Neurone
• Transmit impulses from
sensory neurone to the
motor neurone.

• Found in CNS.
 Synapse
• Impulses are transmitted from
the axon of one neurone to
the dendron of another.

• The impulse will move across a

junction between the two
neurones.

• This junction is called a

synapse.

• Electrical impulses are

transmitted across the synapse
by chemical means.
Neurotransmitter

Receptors
O
v
e
r
v
i
e
w
 Pathway of Impulses
Receptor Sensory Neurone
Synapse

Relay Neurone (CNS)

Synapse

Effector
Motor Neurone
 Summary
Receptor Sensory Neurone
Synapse

Relay Neurone (CNS)

Synapse

Effector Motor Neurone consist of

Grey Matter White Matter

Information Information
processing transmission
 Brain of a Mammal
A mammalian brain can be divided into three parts:

• The forebrain consists:

 cerebrum, hypothalamus and pituitary gland.

• The midbrain

• The hindbrain consists:

 cerebellum and medulla oblongata.
Human Brain
 Forebrain
•Cerebrum is made up
of two cerebral
hemispheres.

•Concerned with
Cerebral hemisphere
emotions, intelligence,
memory, learning and
voluntary actions.
 Forebrain
• The floor of the
cerebral hemisphere
is called
hypothalamus.

• Concerned with
regulation of body
temperature, blood Hypothalamus
osmotic pressure,
appetite, sleep and
emotion.
 Forebrain
• Attached to the
hypothalamus is the
pituitary gland.

• Concerned with the

secretion of many
hormones.
Pituitary Gland
 Midbrain
• Consists of the
optic lobes which
are represented in
mammals by four
small bodies.

• Concerned with Midbrain

visual reflexes, e.g.
movement of the
eyeballs.
 Hindbrain
• Cerebellum lies
behind the optic
lobes.

• Large and many

folds.

Cerebellum
• Concerns with
muscular and body
coordination.
 Hindbrain
• Medulla oblongata
lies below the
cerebellum.

• Concerns with
involuntary actions,
e.g. heartbeat,
peristalsis and rate Medulla Oblongata
of respiratory
movements.
 Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerves
• From medulla oblongata to the
end of the vertebral column.

• Spinal nerves emerge at intervals

along the length of the spinal cord.
31 pairs of spinal nerves in Man.

• Central canal contains

cerebrospinal fluids runs through
the middle of the spinal cord bring
nutrients to the spinal cord.
 Portion of spinal cord
Each spinal nerve divides into 2 roots:
• Dorsal roots
• Ventral roots
 Dorsal Root
• Dorsal part of the spinal cord to the CNS.

• Contains only receptor neurons.

• Cell bodies aggregate to form dorsal

root ganglion.

• Receptor neurone transmits impulses

from the receptor to the spinal cord.
 Ventral Root
• Ventral part of the CNS to the spinal cord.

• Contains only motor neurones.

• No cell bodies.
 Central Nervous System
CNS consists of 2 distinct regions:

Grey matter
• consists mainly of cell bodies of neurones.
• Forms the outer layers of the brain and the central
portions of the spinal cord.

White matter
• Consists of mainly nerve fibres.
• Forms the central parts of the brain and the outer
layers of the spinal cord.
 Nervous System
3 types of
reactions

VOLUNTARY CONDITIONED REFLEX

Control by the Acquired from NOT control by

WILL past experience the will
 Voluntary Actions
• Action that is under the control of the will.

• Impulses transmitted from brain to spinal

cord along the relay neurone to the
appropriate effector neurones and then to
the muscles.

• Does not involve sensory neurone.

 Reflex Actions
• An immediate response to a specific
stimulus without conscious control.

• An automatic response.

• An involuntary action.

• Does not pass through brain.

 REFLEX ACTIONS

Spinal Reflex Action Cranial Reflexes

• reflex actions that • reflex actions that
are controlled by the are controlled by the
spinal cord brain
• usually occur in the
head region
 Reflex Actions
• A reflex action is a rapid, automatic response
to a stimulus.

• A reflex arc is the route an impulse travels

during a reflex action.

• In a reflex arc, impulses are sent along the

spinal cord into the brain.

• The spinal cord controls initial response.

• The brain gives an awareness of a particular

pain.
 The Reflex Arc
A reflex arc consists of:
1. a receptor or sense organ
2. a receptor neurone
3. a reflex center (spinal cord or brain)
4. an effector neurone
6. an effector (muscle or gland)
The Reflex Arc
An Example
 Withdrawal of hand
• Heat stimulates the nerve endings in the skin.

• Impulses produced will travel to the spinal cord.

• Impulses are transmitted across a synapse to a relay

neurone to another synapse then to an effector
neurone.

• Impulses then leave the spinal cord to the effector

(bicep muscle will contract hand withdrawal)
 Knee-Jerk Reflex Arc
dorsal root relay neurone
ganglion
sensory
neurone

motor neurone

ventral root

effector is a muscle
receptor responds to stretch

A knee-jerk reflex arc involves three neurones.

 Conditioned Reflex
• A reflex action acquired from past
experience or learning with a stimulus
which is originally ineffective in producing
the response.

• A conditioned reflex differs from a

normal spinal or cranial reflex because
the conditioned reflex has been modified
by past experience.
 Pavlov’s Experiment
• Rings a bell just before giving the dog food to eat.

• Repeat this procedure for several times.

• Dog will salivate whenever a bell is rung.