Nervous System Overview

Central Nervous System

Central Nervous System

in the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System

in parts of the nervous system besides the brain and spinal cord

sensory

afferent

motor

efferent

The peripheral nervous system has how many systems?

2

autonomic nervous system

to cardiac and smooth muscles and glands; involuntary

somatic nervous system

to skeletal muscles; voluntary

parasympathetic nervous system

routine involuntary functions; normal range

sympathetic nervous system

high alert; fight or flight

soma

-interprets electrical changes given by dendrites

-contains the nucleus

dendrites

-where neurons receive most information

-has neurotransmitters (chemical receptors)

axon

-a strong signal gets sent here and becomes an action potential

-covered in myelin (insulatory material)

Nodes of Ranvier

-neuroscopic gaps within the axon

-speeds up the action potentials

axon terminals

-neurotransmitters are released once the signal reaches here and then interacts with the receptors of another dendrite

neuroglia

nerve glue

astrocytes

support and anchor neurons to surrounding capillaries

microglia

provides immune response to central nervous system

ependymal cells

secrete and circulate cerbrospinal fluid (CSF)

Oligodenrocytes

provide myelin insulation to neurons in the central nervous system (CNS)

satellite cells

support and anchor neurons in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

schwann cells

provide myelin insulation to neurons in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

found in the CNS

astrocytes, microglia, ependymal, oligodenrocytes

found in the PNS

satellite cells, schwann cells