2-27 UTA Review SLIDES - Nervous System - Intro Divisions Tissue

Nervous System Overview

  • Intro, Tissues, and Divisions: Overview of the nervous system, its tissue types, and divisions.

Page 2: Central vs. Peripheral Nervous System (CNS & PNS)

  • Nervous System Divisions:

    • Central Nervous System (CNS): Comprises the brain and spinal cord.

    • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Consists of all nervous tissue outside the CNS.

  • Somatic Nervous System:

    • Voluntary Control: Manages skeletal muscle contractions and some reflexes.

  • Autonomic Nervous System:

    • Involuntary Control: Governs smooth/cardiac muscle contractions and glandular secretions.

    • Sympathetic Division: Responsible for 'Fight or Flight'; increases heart rate.

    • Parasympathetic Division: Responsible for 'Rest & Digest'; decreases heart rate.

Page 3: CNS Functions

  • Receives, processes, and stores information from peripheral sensory nerves.

  • Interprets sensory data such as pain and temperature.

  • Sends motor responses to PNS; involves afferent (incoming) and efferent (outgoing) pathways.

  • Coordinates processes related to intelligence, memory, learning, emotion, and consciousness.

Page 4: PNS Functions

  • Delivers sensory information from skin and muscle receptors to CNS.

  • Somatomotor Division:

    • Controls skeletal muscle contractions, reflex actions, and autonomic responses.

Page 5: Somatic vs. Autonomic Nervous Systems

  • Somatic Nervous System:

    • Voluntary Control: Regulates skeletal muscle activity.

    • Neurons: Two types -

      1. Afferent Neurons: Carry sensory info from skin and organs to CNS.

      2. Efferent Neurons: Transmit motor commands from CNS to PNS.

  • Autonomic Nervous System:

    • Involuntary Control: Influences smooth and cardiac muscle functions.

    • Manages internal processes, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and metabolic actions.

Page 6: Functions of the Autonomic Nervous System

  • Sympathetic Division:

    • Increases heart rate and blood pressure, metabolic rate, and alertness.

    • Controls responses related to sweating and digestion.

  • Parasympathetic Division:

    • Decreases heart rate, blood pressure; stimulates digestion and urinary functions.

Page 7: Types of Nervous Tissue Cells

  • Type 1: Nerve Cells (Neurons)

    • Function: Communicate/send signals to other neurons/muscles; fundamental unit of the nervous system needing support.

  • Type 2: Neuroglia

    • Function: Support neurons and regulate their ionic environment, crucial for neuronal health and function.

Page 8: Neurons

  • Key Features:

    • Longest cell type; facilitate communication with other neurons and muscles.

    • Types: Sensory (detect stimuli), Motor (deliver commands), Interneurons (process information between other neurons).

Page 9: Neuron Structure and Functions

  • Cell Body: Contains nucleus and organelles; receives and integrates signals.

  • Dendrites: Short branches that receive signals from other neurons.

Page 10: Axon Structure**

  • Axon:

    • Long, thin extension; carries outgoing signals to other neurons or muscles.

  • Synaptic Terminals: Ends of axons; transfers signals to other cells.

Page 11: Action Potential

  • An electrical signal traveling along the axon; transmitted at synapses.

    • Synaptic Transmission: From presynaptic neuron's terminals to postsynaptic cell (next neuron or muscle).

Page 12: Synapses

  • Definition: Site of contact between a neuron's terminal and another cell.

  • Types of Synapses:

    • Neuron/Neuron Junction: Involves two neurons.

    • Neuromuscular Junction: Involves a neuron and a muscle fiber.

Page 13: Types of Neurons

  • Type 1: Sensory Neurons: Deliver and interpret sensory information.

  • Type 2: Motor Neurons: Deliver motor commands to muscles.

  • Type 3: Interneurons: Integrate information between neurons; crucial for coordinating responses and processing higher functions.