TOPIC 12: Reading about of the nervous system

The nervous system

The nervous system is essentially a biological information highway, and is responsible for controlling
all the biological processes and movement in the body, and can also receive information and
interpret it via electrical signals which are used in this nervous system
It consists of the Central Nervous System (CNS), essentially the processing area and the Peripheral
Nervous System which detects and sends electrical impulses that are used in the nervous system

The Central Nervous System (CNS)

The Central Nervous System is effectively the centre of the nervous system, the part of it that
processes the information received from the peripheral nervous system. The CNS consists of the
brain and spinal cord. It is responsible for receiving and interpreting signals from the peripheral
nervous system and also sends out signals to it, either consciously or unconsciously. This information
highway called the nervous system consists of many nerve cells, also known as neurons, as seen
below.

The Nerve Cell

Each neuron consists of a nucleus situated in the cell body, where outgrowths called processes
originate from. The main one of these processes is the axon, which is responsible for carrying
outgoing messages from the cell. This axon can originate from the CNS and extend all the way to the
body's extremities, effectively providing a highway for messages to go to and from the CNS to these
body extremities.
Dendrites are smaller secondary processes that grow from the cell body and axon. On the end of
these dendrites lie the axon terminals, which 'plug' into a cell where the electrical signal from a nerve
cell to the target cell can be made. This 'plug' (the axon terminal) connects into a receptor on the
target cell and can transmit information between cells.

The Way Nerve Cells Communicate

The "All-Or-None-Law" applies to nerve cell communication as they use an on / off signal (like an
digital signal) so that the message can remain clear and effective from its travel from the CNS to the
target cell or vice versa. This is a factor because just like electricity signals, the signal fades out and
must be boosted along its journey. But if the message is either 1 or 0 (i.e.) on or off the messages
are absolute.
Classification of Neurons:
Interneurones - Neurons lying entirely within the CNS
Afferent Neurones - Also known as sensory neurones, these are specialised to send impulses
towards the CNS away from the peripheral system
Efferent Neurones - These nerve cells carry signals from the CNS to the cells in the peripheral
system

The Conscious & Unconscious Nervous System

The Central Nervous System is arguably the most important part of the body because of the way it
controls the biological processes of our body and all conscious thought. Due to their importance,
they are safely encased within bones, namely the cranium protecting the brain and the spine
protecting the spinal cord
Brain Divisions

There are three main components of the brain, namely the brainstem, cerebellum and the forebrain.
These are elaborated upon below

The Brainstem - The brainstem is the connection between the rest of the brain and the rest
of the central nervous system. This part of the brain was the first to be found in the
evolutionary chain, though has developed over time and via evolution to develop into the
two other components. It is primarily concerned with life support and basic functions such as
movement, thus meaning that more advanced processes are left to the more evolved areas
of the brain, as explained below.
The Cerebellum - Consisting of two hemispheres, the cerebellum is primarily concerned with
movement and works in partnership with the brainstem area ofthe brain and focuses on the
well being and functionality of muscles. The structure can be found below the occipital lobe
and adjacent to the brainstem
The Forebrain - The forebrain lies above the brainstem and cerebellum and is the most
advanced in evolutionary terms. Due to its complexity, more info is divulged about this part
of the brain below
The Forebrain

The forebrain has many activities that it is responsible for and is divided into many component parts.
The below list elaborates on the localised areas of the forebrain and their functions.

The Hypothalamus - A section of the brain found next to the thalamus that is involved in
many regulatory functions such as osmoregulation and thermoregulation. The hypothalamus
has a degree of control over the pituitary gland, another part of the brain situated next to it,
and also controls sleepingpatterns, eating and drinking and speech. The hypothalamus is also
responsible for the secretion of ADH (Anti-Diuretic Hormone) via its neurosecretory cells
The Cerebrum - The cerebrum is the largest part of the human brain, and the part responsible
for intelligence and creativity, and also involved in memory. The 'grey matter' of the
cerebrum is the cerebral cortex, the centre that receives information from the thalamus and
all the other lower centres in the brain.
 The Cerebral Cortex - Part of the cerebrum, this part of the brain deals with almost all of the
higher functions of an intelligent being. It is this part of brain that deals with the masses of
information incoming from the periphery nervous system, furiously instructing the brain of
what is going on inside its body and the external environment. It is this part that translates
our nervous impulses into understandable quantifiable feelings and thoughts. So important
is the cerebral cortex that it is sub-divided into 4 parts, explained below

1. Frontal Lobe - Found at the front of the head, near the temples and forehead, the frontal
lobe is essential to many of the advanced functions of an evolved brain. It deals with
voluntary muscle movements and deals with more intricate matters such as thought and
speech
2. Parietal Lobe - Situated behind the frontal lobe, this section deals with spatial awareness
in the external environment and acts as a receptor area to deal with signals associated
with tough.
3. Temporal Lobe - The temporal lobes are situated in parallel with the ears, they serve the
ears by interpreting audio signals received from the auditory canal
4. Occipital Lobe - This is the smallest of the four lobe components of the cerebrum, and is
responsible in interpreting nerve signals from the eye at the back of the brain

The Central Nervous System

Myelin Sheath

Myelin is a substance that forms the myelin sheath associated with nerve cells. This sheath is a layer
of phospholipids that increases the conductivity of the electrical messages that are sent through the
cell. Diseases such as multiple sclerosis are a result in a lack of this myelin sheath, with the resultant
effect being that the conductivity of signals is much slower severely decreasing the effectiveness of
the nervous system in sufferers. In total, there are 43 main nerves that branch of the CNS to the
peripheral nervous system (the peripheral system is the nervous system outside the CNS. These are
the efferent neurons that carry signals away from the CNS to the peripheral system.

Somatic Nervous System

These efferent fibres are divided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous
system. The somatic fibres are responsible for the voluntary movement of our body, i.e. movement
that you consciously thought about doing.

The Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system incorporates all the impulses that are done involuntarily, and are
usually associated with essential functions such as breathing, heartbeat etc. However this type of
system can further be broken down into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems which keep
one another in check in a form of negative feedback such as the release of insulin and glucagon in
sugar control of the blood. All of the actions executed by the autonomic nervous system are
unconsciously done.
ACTIVITIES:

1. Make a list of new words.

2. Do a mind map about the topic.
3. What is the nervous system?
4. What is the Central Nervous System
5. What is the Classification of Neurons?
6. What is the Conscious & Unconscious Nervous System?
7. What is the Brain Divisions?
8. What is the Myelin Sheath?
9. What is the different of the Somatic Nervous System and The Autonomic Nervous System?