The Human Nervous System

The Human nervous system is the most complex and vital part of our body. It is a biological information highway. It manages us-our thoughts, feelings, and bodily functions. It is also an important factor in medical science. The studies of the nervous system helped lower death rates from heart disease, stroke, etc. The nervous system is a network of nerve cells called neurons that sends information to the brain. Neurons live both in and outside the central nervous system. Understanding how the neurons work is essential to understanding the nervous system. Our nervous system is made of Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System. Central Nervous System is the area where the processing takes place and Peripheral Nervous System detects and sends electrical impulses that are used in the nervous system. Both the Central and Peripheral Nervous System is made of nerve cells or neurons. Neurons process and transmit cellular signals. They are specialized to conduct electrochemical impulses called nerve impulses or action potentials. They can be of various shape, size, and properties given the functions performed by them. Neuron basically consists of three parts the soma or cell body, the axon, and the dendrites. The Cell Body houses nucleus as well as other organelles like endoplasmic reticulum etc. Most of the protein synthesis occurs here. Axons grow out of the cell body. They are also called Nerve Fibers. The axon carries nerve signals away from the soma or cell body. All neurons outside the central nervous system connect through axons. Axons can be as long as one meter. Many axons are covered with the myelin sheath, a glistening fatty sheath. It is the greatly-expanded plasma membrane of an accessory cell, the Schwann cell. Schwann cells are spaced at regular intervals along the axon. Their plasma membrane is wrapped around the axon forming the myelin sheath. The place where the sheath of one Schwann cell meets that of the next is unprotected. This area is called the node of Ranvier. The axon terminal also contains synapses. Synapses are specialized structures where neurotransmitter chemicals are released in order to communicate with target neurons. The threadlike extensions of the cytoplasm of a neuron are Dendrites. Dendrites are the receptive side of a neuron. Structurally they are like axons but they are multi polar neurons. Their overall shape and structure is referred to as dendritic tree due to their cellular extensions and branches. Dendrites cannot secrete neurotransmitter chemicals. This is the reason why nerve impulses are conducted only in one way.

Picture: Neuron

The Central Nervous System as the name implies is the centre of the nervous system and is responsible for sending and receiving and interpreting signals and information to and from the Peripheral Nervous System. It consists of the brain and its natural extension, and the spinal cord, which runs through the centre of the spinal column. The spinal column, together with the skull, makes a veritable suit of protective covering for the central nervous system. The protective coat is called meninges which is three continuous sheets of connective tissue. The tissues are dura mater, the arachnoid, and the pia mater. The space between the arachnoid and pia mater is packed with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The brain of the central nervous system uses most of its volume and power to process different sensory inputs and motor outputs. It receives the sensory inputs from the spinal cord and from its own nerves - olfactory, optic etc. The spinal cord carries out motor information from the brain to different effectors and sensory information from the peripheral nervous system to the brain. It is also a reflex centre but trivial. The brain and the spinal cord both consist of white matter and gray matter. White matters are bundles of axons coated with myelin sheath and gray matters are cell bodies and dendrites covered with synapses. In the brain the gray matter is the surface, white matter is inside. For the spinal cord it is just the opposite.

Picture: Central Nervous System

The Peripheral Nervous System consists of the sensory neurons and the motor neurons. Main function of it is to connect central nervous system with the limbs and organs. Sensory neurons run from the stimulus receptors to the central nervous system and motor Neurons run from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands. Sensory neurons are receptors and motor neurons are effectors. Unlike the central nervous system the peripheral nervous system is not protected by any coat. The peripheral nervous system is divided into two parts one is the Sensory Somatic Nervous System and the other is the Autonomic Nervous System. The sensory somatic system is made of 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves. The sensory somatic system is responsible for bodily movements and receiving external stimuli. All our conscious awareness of the external environment and all our activities to deal with it function through the sensorysomatic division of the peripheral nervous system. The sensory and motor neurons of the autonomic nervous system run between the central nervous system and different internal organs like heart, lungs, viscera, and various glands. The contraction of both smooth muscle and cardiac muscle is controlled by motor neurons of the autonomic system. The actions by the autonomic nervous system is involuntary and uses two types of motor neurons - the preganglionic neurons and the postganglionic neurons unlike the sensory somatic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is also divided into two subdivisions the Sympathetic nervous system and the Parasympathetic nervous system. The preganglionic motor neurons of the sympathetic system start in the spinal cord. They go by sympathetic ganglia which are organized into two chains that run parallel to either side of the spinal cord. Stimulation of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system prepares the body for emergencies like "fight or flight". The main nerves of the parasympathetic system are the tenth cranial nerves, the vagus nerves. They originate in the medulla oblongata. Parasympathetic stimulation causes slowing down of the heart, lowering blood pressure, constriction of the pupils etc. The parasympathetic system returns the body functions to normal after they have been altered by sympathetic stimulation. In times of danger, the sympathetic system prepares the body for violent activity. The parasympathetic system reverses these changes when the danger is over.

Picture: Peripheral Nervous System

Though the human nervous system is a complicated and lengthy topic but nervous system is very important for human. Nervous system makes it possible to have language, abstract representation of concepts, transmission of culture, and many other outcomes of human society that would not be possible without our brains. If any portion of the nervous system is damaged, our sensory systems and many organs will not function. So to use them properly and to understand them and to cure many diseases studying and knowing about human nervous system is very important.