Understanding the Central Nervous System

The CNS is made up of two parts: these are the brain and the spinal cord.

The Brain is the largest and most complex part of the nervous system. It is probably
the most specialized organ of the body. It increases in complexity and importance in higher
animals, being the central exchange of nervous impulses throughout the whole body.

The Spinal cord is a rope like segment of the nerve tissue extending down from your
medulla to your vertebral column. It serves as the connector mechanism for spinal reflexes
and the connecting link between your peripheral system and your brain. Through the spinal
cord, sensory and motor information passes between your brain and the other parts of your
body.

Understanding the Peripheral Nervous System

The peripheral nervous system or PNS, is part of the nervous system, and consists
of the nerves and neurons that reside or extend outside the central nervous system (the brain
and spinal cord) to serve the limbs and organs, for example. Unlike the central nervous system,
however, the PNS is not protected by bone or the blood-brain barrier, leaving it exposed to
toxins and mechanical injuries. The peripheral nervous system is divided into the somatic
nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

Cranial nerves
12 pairs of nerves which have their points of origin or termination within the cranium.

I Olfactory nerve Anterior olfactory nucleus Transmits the sense of smell

II Optic nerve Lateral geniculate nucleus Transmits visual information to the brain

Innervates the superior rectus, medial

Oculomotor nucleus, rectus, inferior rectus, and inferior oblique,
III Oculomotor nerve
Edinger-Westphal nucleus which collectively perform most eye
movements

Innervates the superior oblique muscle,

IV Trochlear nerve Trochlear nucleus which depresses, pulls laterally, and
intorts the eyeball

Principal sensory
trigeminal nucleus, Spinal
trigeminal nucleus, Receives sensation from the face and
V Trigeminal nerve
Mesencephalic trigeminal innervates the muscles of mastication
nucleus, Trigeminal motor
nucleus

Abducent nerve (or Innervates the lateral rectus, which

VI Abducens nucleus
abducens nerve) abducts the eye

Provides motor innervation to the muscles

of facial expression and stapedius,
Facial nucleus, Solitary receives the special sense of taste from
VII Facial nerve nucleus, Superior salivary the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, and
nucleus provides secretomotor innervation to the
salivary glands (except parotid) and the
lacrimal gland

Vestibulocochlear
Vestibular nuclei, Cochlear Senses sound, rotation and gravity
VIII nerve (or auditory-
nuclei (essential for balance & movement)
vestibular nerve)

Receives taste from the posterior 1/3 of

Nucleus ambiguus, Inferior the tongue, provides secretomotor
Glossopharyngeal
IX salivary nucleus, Solitary innervation to the parotid gland, and
nerve
nucleus provides motor innervation to the
stylopharyngeus

Supplies branchiomotor innervation to

most laryngeal and pharyngeal muscles;
Nucleus ambiguus, Dorsal
provides parasympathetic fibers to nearly
X Vagus nerve motor vagal nucleus,
all thoracic and abdominal viscera down
Solitary nucleus
to the splenic flexure; and receives the
special sense of taste from the epiglottis
 Accessory nerve (or
cranial accessory nerve Nucleus ambiguus, Spinal Controls muscles of the neck and
XI
or spinal accessory accessory nucleus overlaps with functions of the vagus
nerve)

Provides motor innervation to the intrinsic

XII Hypoglossal nerve Hypoglossal nucleus muscles of the tongue and other glossal
muscles

Spinal Nerves (31 Pairs)

8 pairs neck (cervical)
12 pairs thoracic
5 pairs lumbar lower trunk and leg
5 sacral
1pair coccygeal
The term spinal nerve generally refers to the mixed spinal nerve, which is formed from
the dorsal and ventral roots that come out of the spinal cord. The spinal nerve is the bit that
passes out of the vertebrae through the intervertebral foramen.
Each Spinal nerve consists of afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) neurons, which
carry messages to and from the particular body regions called dermatomes.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Innervates all internal organs.
The nerves of the ANS carry
messages to the viscera from
the brain stem and the
neuroendocrine system.

Sympathetic (Thoracolumbar) Parasympathetic (Craniosacral)

Neurotransmission
1. Passage of signals from one nerve cell to another via chemical substances or
electrical signals.
2. The process that occurs when a neuron releases neurotransmitters to communicate
with another neuron across the synapse.

The Neuron is the basic conducting unit of the Nervous system. It has three
principal parts: the dendrites are specialized signal-receiving structures where the impulse
(input) enters; the cell body (the central region) which integrates input and output; and the
axon where the output is discharge.

Prepared By: Alvin E. Bene