The equine nervous system is the most complex in the body.
It controls all other equine body systems.
Main components include:
Brain
Spinal cord
Spinal nerves
Cranial nerves
Vagus nerve
Network of nerves to forelimb
Autonomic nervous system
Sciatic nerve
Composed of billions of neurons.
Supplies information about internal and external environments.
Conveys sensation: impulses travel back and forth between the brain/spinal cord and body parts.
Acts as the bodyâs communication system, connecting various functions.
Components:
Brain
Spinal Cord
Functions:
Controls conscious or voluntary actions.
Key structures of the CNS involve the brain which is responsible for numerous tasks:
Brain stem:
Controls heartbeat, respiration, and body temperature.
Cerebrum:
Involved in memory, intelligence, and emotional responses.
Cerebellum:
Manages muscular coordination, balance, and equilibrium
Spinal Cord: Reflex Arch (knee-jerk) and connects pns and the brain.
Function:
Connects CNS to limbs and organs.
Extends outside CNS and lacks the protective barriers present in CNS, making it vulnerable to damage.
Subdivisions:
Somatic Nervous System:
Coordinates body movements and responses to external stimuli.
Involves conscious control.
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS):
Controls involuntary functions (e.g., circulatory and respiratory systems).
Divided into:
Sympathetic Nervous System:
Activates the âFight or Flightâ response.
Prepares the horse for danger or stress by increasing heart rate and blood pressure.
Parasympathetic Nervous System:
Manages 'Rest and Digest' functions when the horse is relaxed.
Promotes digestion and general maintenance of body systems.
Neurons are the basic functional units:
Composed of:
Dendrites: Receive signals.
Cell Body: Contains the nucleus and organelles.
Axon: Sends messages away from the cell body.
Types of Neurons:
Sensory Neurons: Transmit impulses from sense receptors to CNS.
Motor Neurons: Send impulses from CNS to muscles or glands.
Relay Neurons: Connect sensory and motor neurons.
Synapse: Connection point between neurons for signal transfer, utilizing neurotransmitters (e.g., acetylcholine).
Reflexes operate independently of the brain; reactions occur instinctively.
Animals are born with reflexes, allowing immediate responses to stimuli.
A serious mosquito-borne viral disease affecting the central nervous system.
Symptoms range from mild (fever, headache) to severe (seizures, coma, brain damage, death).
No specific treatment is available, emphasizing the importance of preventive measures.
Nerve cells do not touch; there is a microscopic space between them called a synapse.
An impulse in the neuron before the synapse (sensory neuron) stimulates the production of chemicals called neurotransmitters (e.g., acetylcholine) into the synaptic gap.
Neurotransmitters diffuse across the gap.
Upon reaching the membrane of the next nerve cell (relay neuron), they stimulate a nervous impulse, facilitating communication between the sensory neuron and motor neuron through the relay neuron.