NERVOUS SYSTEM

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE

NERVOUS SYSTEM?

2 min write down 3 facts you know about the nervous system.

The nervous system receives and transmits information about the

internal and external environment.
Allows the body to respond to changes in the environment.
Co-ordination
Contributes to control and coordination of homeostasis.
 THE NERVOUS SYSTEM:

Receives and carries information from receptors a stimulus

Processes responses what should the reaction be?
Directs the responses to the stimulus creates a reaction

Eg Thats hot, remove the heat, pull away your hand

HOMEOSTASIS

Maintaining a relatively stable environment within

narrow limits.
When deviations or changes in normal state
occur, body systems such as the nervous system
work to restore the balance (feedback loops).
Infection, trauma, toxic substances , inherited
disorders and auto-immune disease can lead to
failure of homeostasis.
What happens when the body cannot maintain
homeostasis unconsciousness even death.
NERVOUS SYSTEM ORGANISATION
 PARTS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

CNS
Central nervous system
Brain & spinal cord
Co-ordinate responses on receipt of sensory inputs

PNS
Peripheral nervous system
Sensory and motor neurons
Receptors detect change in stimuli
 NERVE CELLS

Nerve cells are called

neurons
 NEURONS - PARTS OF THE NEURON

Dendrites: receive signals from receptors or other cells and transmit these to the cell
body.
Cell body: contains the cell nucleus. Regulates and coordinates signals.
Axon: transmits an electrical impulse to the nerve endings (axon terminals).
Myelin sheath: surrounds the axon and acts as a insulator.
Axon terminals: transmit chemical messages to other neurons.
The Axons form synapses with the dendrite of another neuron, or with a muscle or
gland.
 ACTIVITY TIME

Make a neuron using the lollies

provided.
TYPES OF NEURONS

Three main types of

neurons:
Sensory neurons
Interneurons
Motor neurons
 SENSORY NEURONS
(AFFERENT)

Detect change in internal or external

environment and transmit information to
the CNS.
 INTERNEURONS

Only found in the CNS (brain and

spinal cord).
Relays information (signals)
between sensory and motor
neurons (via CNS).
 MOTOR NEURONS
(EFFERENT)

Motor neurons have a cell body in located in the spinal cord and the axon
projects outside the spinal to control effector organs such as muscles, and
glands.
 COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NEURONS

In the nervous system, a synapse is a

structure that permits a neuron (or nerve
cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal
to another neuron.
Impulse is always in the same direction;
Dendrite receives stimulus, moves along
axon, neurotransmitters released, dendrite
receives stimulus.
 STIMULUS RESPONSE MECHANISM

A change in the environment is the stimulus; the reaction of the organism to

it is the response.
 REFLEX ARC
Reflexes, or reflex actions, are involuntary,
almost instantaneous movements in
response to a specific stimulus.
Rapid response
REFLEX ARC
Most reflex arcs involve only
A neural pathway that controls an
three neurons
action reflex. In higher animals,
most sensory neurons do not pass
directly into the brain, but synapse
in the spinal cord. This
characteristic allows reflex actions
to occur relatively quickly by
activating spinal motor neurons
without the delay of routing signals
through the brain.
REFLEX ARC EXAMPLE
ACTIVITY: HOW ARE YOUR
REFLEXES?

Complete how are your reflexes activity.