Nervous System

AP Biology

2007-2008

Essential Knowledge:
Animals have nervous systems that detect
external and internal signals, transmit and
integrate information and produce
responses.

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Central vs Peripheral
Central Nervous System (CNS)
- brain and spinal cord
- Command Center - takes in information and
figures out exactly what to do with it.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- everything else- sensory and motor neurons
- Receives signals from sensory neurons about
environment and brings them to the CNS.
- Once CNS determines a command, the PNS
relays the signals back out to the body.

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Central Nervous System

The Brain
- The brain synthesizes and interoperates information
from our environment and our internal organs.
1- forebrain- the cerebrum- Responsible for
memory, thinking, imagination, reasoning,
language, etc.
2- midbrain- upper portion of the brain stem.
Responsible for reflex actions and some
voluntary movements such as eye
movements.
3- hindbrain- top of spinal cord and most of the
brain stem. Responsible for maintaining
vital
functions such as respiration and
heart rate.
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Central Nervous System

The Spinal Cord
- Protected by vertebrae
- The highway connecting
the brain and the
peripheral nervous
system.
- If the spinal cord gets
damaged, information
cannot be exchanged
between nerves and the
brain.

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Peripheral Nervous System

Sensory Neurons
(afferent)
- Neurons that receive
information from the
Interneurons
environment or the body - Integrates and
and transmit that
coordinates information
information to the CNS
from sensory neurons
Motor Neurons
and sends response to
motor neurons.
(efferent)
- Neurons that receive
information from CNS and
relay those messages out
to the body (response).
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Neuron Functional Differences

Integrates and
coordinates info
from afferent,
sends out response
to efferent

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Peripheral Nervous System

Divided into two categories
Autonomic Nervous
System
- regulates functions of the
internal body.
- examples: heart, lungs,
digestion
- regulates involuntary
movements (reflex)

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Somatic Nervous
System
- regulates voluntary
movements in response to
external stimuli

Autonomic Nervous System

Divided into two categories
Sympathetic NervousParasympathetic
System
Nervous System
- fight or flight response
- prepare for physical
activity
- uses energy to increase
heart rate, increase
metabolism, increase
respiration, etc.

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- rest and digest response

- saves energy and allows
digestion to start. Blood
pressure decreases, heart
rate slows, etc.

Nervous system cells

Neuron
signal

direction

a nerve cell
dendrites
cell body

Structure fits
function

axon

myelin sheath
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dendrite
cell

body axon

signal direction

many entry points

for signal
one path out
transmits signal
synaptic terminal
synapse

Myelin sheath
Axon coated with Schwann cells
signal
direction

Insulation material (lipid)

speeds up signal
150 m/sec vs. 5 m/sec
(330 mph vs. 11 mph)

myelin sheath
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action potential
saltatory
conduction

Na+
myelin
axon

+
+

Na+

Multiple
Multiple Sclerosis
Sclerosis

immune
immune system
system (T
(T cells)
cells)
attack
attack myelin
myelin sheath
sheath

loss
loss of
of signal
signal

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Neuron at Resting Potential

Opposite charges on opposite sides of cell
membrane
membrane is polarized
negative inside; positive outside
charge gradient (-70mv)
stored energy (like a battery)

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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What makes it polarized?

Cells live in a sea of charged ions
anions (negative)
more concentrated within the cell
Cl-, charged amino acids (aa-)

cations (positive)
Na+ more concentrated in the extracellular fluid

Na+
K+

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aa

Na+
K+

Na+

aaCl-

Na+

Na+

Claa
K+

Na+
K+
aa-

K+

Na+

ClCl-

Na+
aa

Na+

Na+

Na+

Claa- Cl-

K+

channel
leaks K+

Salty
Banana!

How does a nerve impulse travel?

Stimulus: nerve is stimulated
reaches threshold potential
open Na+ channels in cell membrane
Na+ ions diffuse into cell

charges reverse at that point on neuron

The 1st
domino
goes
down!

positive inside; negative outside

cell becomes depolarized

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+
Na+

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+
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Depolarization
Wave: nerve impulse travels down neuron
Gate
change in charge opens
+
+
next Na gates down the line
voltage-gated channels
chann
el
Na+ continues to diffuse down neuron
closed
wave moves down neuron = action potential

The rest
of the
dominoes
fall!

+
+

chann
el
open

+ + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + +
Na+

+ + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
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wave

Voltage-gated channels
Ion channels open & close in response to
changes in charge across membrane

Structure
& function!

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Repolarization
Re-set: 2nd wave travels down neuron
K+ channels open
K+ channels open up more slowly than Na+ channels

K+ ions diffuse out of cell

charges reverse back at that point
negative inside; positive outside
Set
dominoes
back up
quickly!

K+

+ + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + +
Na+

+ + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + +
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wave

How does a nerve impulse travel?

wave of opening ion channels moves down neuron
flow of K+ out of cell stops activation of Na+
channels in wrong direction
Animation
Ready
for
next time!

K+

+ + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + +
Na+

+ + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + +
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wave

How does the nerve re-set itself?

Sodium-Potassium pump
active transport protein in membrane
requires ATP

3 Na+ pumped out

2 K+ pumped in
re-sets charge
across
membrane

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Thats a lot
of ATP !
Feed me some
sugar quick!

ATP

Action potential graph

40 mV

30 mV

Membrane potential

1. Resting potential
2. Stimulus reaches threshold
potential
3. Depolarization
Na+ channels open;
K+ channels closed
4. Na+ channels close;
K+ channels open
5. Repolarization
reset charge gradient
6. Undershoot
+ channels close slowly
K
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20 mV

10 mV Depolarization
Na+ flows in
0 mV
10 mV

Repolarization
K+ flows out

20 mV

30 mV
40 mV
50 mV Threshold
60 mV
70 mV
80 mV

Hyperpolarization
(undershoot)

2
1

Resting potential

6 Resting

All or nothing response

Once first one is opened, the rest open in

succession
a wave action travels along neuron
have to re-set channels so neuron can react
again
How is a nerve impulse
similar to playing with
dominoes?

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What happens at the end of the

axon?
Impulse has to jump the synapse!
junction between neurons
has to jump quickly from one cell to next
How does
the wave
jump the gap?

Synapse

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The Synapse
axon terminal
action potential

synaptic vesicles
synapse

Ca++

ion-gated channels open

receptor protein

neurotransmitter Neurotransmitter degraded or

acetylcholine (ACh) reabsorbed
muscle cell (fiber)

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Action potential depolarizes

membrane
Opens Ca++ channels
Neurotransmitter vesicles fuse
with membrane
Release neurotransmitter to
synapse diffusion

Neurotransmitter binds with

protein receptor

We switched
from an electrical signal
to a chemical signal

Neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine
transmit signal to skeletal muscle

Epinephrine (adrenaline) & norepinephrine

fight-or-flight response

Dopamine
affects sleep, mood, attention & learning
lack of dopamine in brain associated with Parkinsons
disease
excessive dopamine linked to schizophrenia

Serotonin
affects sleep, mood, attention & learning
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Weak point of nervous system

Any substance that affects neurotransmitters

or mimics them affects nerve function
Ex: Gases, drugs, poisons

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors = neurotoxins!

Ex: snake venom, insecticides

Snake toxin blocking

acetylcholinesterase
active site
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Vertebrate Brains
Evolutionary trends towards Cephalization
Central region for integrating and coordinating
information.

Different regions have different functions:

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How are they similar?

How are they different?
More mass, more
neurons, more
connections.

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Ponder this
Any Questions??

AP Biology

2007-2008