NERVOUS SYSTEM Prepared and presented by Marc Imhotep Cray, M.D.
Reference and source of graphics: Colbert BJ et. Al. Chapter 7 The Nervous System , An Integrated Approach to Health Sciences 2e, Delmar Cengage Learning 2012:80-97
BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to Differentiate between the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) Describe the basic components of the nervous system at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels Contrast the types of neurons and their modes of conduction Define and describe the various components of the CNS Relate diseases of the CNS Describe the components and responses of the autonomic branch of the PNS BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Key Terms acetylcholine (ACh) (AS-eh-till-KOH-leen) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (AS-eh-till-KOH-lin-ESSter-ase) action potential aphasia (ah-FAY-zee-ah) arachnoid membrane (ah-RACK-noid) associative neurons autonomic nerves axon brachial plexus (BRAY-kee-all PLECK-sus) brain cell body central nervous system (CNS) central processing unit (CPU) cerebellum (ser-eh-BELL-um) cerebral cortex (seh-REE-brawl) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cerebrovascular accident (CVA) (SER-eh-bro-VAS-kyou-lar) BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Key Terms (2) cervical plexus (SER-vih-kal) choroid plexus (KOH-roid) conductivity corpus callosum (KOR-pus; kah-LOW-sum) cranial nerves dendrite diencephalon (die-in-SEF-ah- lawn) dorsal root dorsal root ganglia dura mater (DOO-rah MAY-ter) emboli (EM-boh-lie) encephalitis (en-SEF-ah-LYE-tis) epinephrine (E-ih-NEF-rin) fight-or-flight response frontal lobe ganglia (GANG-glee-ah) glia cells (GLEE-uh) gyri (JIGH-rye) Heimlich maneuver (HIME-lick) hemiplegia (hem-ee-PLEE-jee-ah) homeostasis (HOH-me-oh-STAY-sis) BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Key Terms (3) hypothalamus (high-poh-THAL-ah-mus) irritability lumbar plexus meninges (meh-NIN-jeez) meningitis (men-in-JIGH-tis) midbrain motor cortex motor neurons myelin sheath (MY-eh-lin) nerve plexuses (PLECK-us-sus) nerves neuroglia (new-ROG-lee-ah) neuron (NEW-ron) neurotransmitter substance norepinephrine (NE) occipital lobe olfactory (ol-FAK-toh-ree) paraplegia (par-ah-PLEE-jee-ah) parasympathetic nervous system parietal lobe (pah-RYE-eh-tal) peripheral nervous system (PNS) peristalsis (per-ih-STAL-sis) phagocytosis (fag-oh-sye-TOH-sis) BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Key Terms (4) phrenic nerve (FREN-ick) pia mater (PEE-ah MAY-ter) piloerection (PIE-low-ee-RECK-shun) quadriplegia (KWAD-rih-PLEE-jee-ah) sacral plexus (SACK-ral PLEX-us) sensory neurons somatic muscles (so-MAT-ick) somatic nerves spinal cord (SPY-nal) spinal nerves stimulus stroke subarachnoid space (sub-ah-RACK-noyd) sulci (SUL-kye) sympathetic nervous system synapse (SIN-apps) temporal lobe thalamus (THAL-ah-mus) ventral root white matter BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The components of the nervous system with computer analogy BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The divisions of the nervous system BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Generic Neuron Anatomy BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The neuron and its signal transmission BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Types of neurons BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The neurochemical transmission of a nerve signal or impulse BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Cutaway view showing the major divisions of the brain BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Superior view of brain BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Structural areas of the brain and their functions Lateral view of brain Functional areas of cerebrum BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The spinal column BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Spinal cord nerve plexuses and areas they serve BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The knee jerk reflex BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The meninges BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Diseases of the CNS can affect the brain and/or spinal cord. An infection of the brain is called encephalitis (encephalo meaning brain, itis meaning inflammation). These infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and even fungi. Infection of the protective covering of the brain and spinal cord is called meningitis. One of the most common brain disorders is called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or stroke. This is caused by a rupture of the blood vessels within the brain or some sort of blockage of blood flow. Blood clots, or emboli (blood clots that travel), can become lodged within the brain and disrupt blood flow to tissue, thereby resulting in tissue damage or death. BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program An MRI of a visible bleed of the brain The pressure builds up rapidly because the brain, unlike other parts of the body, has very little give; it is encased within a rigid skull. Because it involves the brain and its blood supply, a stroke is also referred to as a cerebrovascular accident, or CVA. BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Symptoms of left and right CVA Sometimes a stroke causes paralysis to the half of the body (hemi) opposite to where the brain was damaged. This is because, generally speaking, the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, and vice versa. A right brain stroke, therefore, may cause hemiplegia (plegia meaning paralysis) to the left half of the body. The stroke sufferer may also experience aphasia (a meaning without, phasia meaning speech) and, thus, lose the ability to speak, write, or effectively communicate There are many forms of aphasia depending on the area of the brain affected. BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Accidents, violence, and sports activities can lead to injury of the spinal cord. When an injury to the spinal cord occurs, the result can be loss of sensation and movement of body. If only the lower body is affected, this is called paraplegia; if all four limbs are affected, it is called quadriplegia (quadri meaning four). BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Schematic representation of the CNS and the PNS showing synapses and neurochemical transmitter BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program The Actions of the Parasympathetic and Sympathetic Nervous Systems BEPAA Integrated Health Sciences Program Following are some of the physiologic processes that occur during the fight or-flight response.
The pupils of the eyes dilate (become larger), thus allowing more light to be brought in for enhanced vision. The heart rate and force of contraction Increase The airways of your lungs (bronchi) dilate to take in more oxygen from the atmosphere. Body metabolism is now at its peak Nonessential areas are shut down; in this way all the energy can be concentrated where it is needed most. For example, your digestive, or gastrointestinal, tract is basically shut down. Finally, sweat gland production increases and the muscles attached to your hair contract, causing the hair to stand erect (a process known as piloerection); you have sweaty palms and you can feel the hair on the back of your neck stand up.