Lecture 21 Peripheral Nervous System

Kardong Chapter 16, Hildebrand Chapter17

Basic Layout of the Nervous System

The nervous system stimulates the action of muscles in light of information from sense organs.
afferent or sensory neuro ns

sense organs

central nervou s system

association neurons

efferent or motor muscles neurons

sensory and motor neurons = periph eral ne rvous system

Nerve cells (neurons) are the basic units of the nervous system. Bundles of neurons are called nerves in the peripheral nervous system or tracts in the central nervous system.

The morphology of a motor neuron

Cell Body or perikaryon where the nucleus resides.

Axon the cellular extension that transmits information.

Axon cylinder = axon plus Schwann cells which wrap the axon in myelin. Dendrites - the connection to adjacent nerves, muscles, or sense organs. Ganglion - a group of cell bodies outside the CNS.

KK 16.2, H&G (Fig. 17.2)

Other Types of Neurons

While motor neurons are typically monopolar (cell body at one end), sensory neurons are typically bipolar (cell body in the middle of the axon). To complete a circuit between sense organ and muscle, motor neurons and sensory neurons are linked in the CNS by association neurons, which are typically multipolar.

KK 16.3, H&G 17.2

Synapses and Neurotransmitters

Dendrites of neurons do not touch; transmission is across a synapse via diffusion of a neurotransmitter produced by presynaptic vesicles.
KK 16.5, H&G 17.1, 17.8

At least 3 neurons are involved in going from sensory information (stimulus) to muscle response. Such a circuit from sensor to effector is called a reflect arc.

Sensory and motor peripheral nerves

Sensory nerves enter the CNS via dorsal roots. Their cell bodies are in dorsal root ganglia outside the CNS. Motor nerves leave the CNS via ventral roots. In spinal nerves, these roots come together just outside the cord and separate again into dorsal and ventral rami.

KK 16.7, H&G 17.8

Embryological Origins
CNS The brain and spinal cord are derived from the neural tube (neurectoderm). PNS Motor nerves have their cell bodies in the CNS, and their axons grow out of the CNS to targeted muscles and organs.

KK 16.8, H&G 17.7, 17.8

The dorsal root ganglia containing the cell bodies of sensory nerves are derived from the neural crests. Bipolar axons grow towards the CNS and towards their target sense organs.

Relationship of peripheral nerves to embryonic mesoderm

The dorsal ramus serves the epaxial musclesand dermis, whereas the ventral ramus serves the hypaxial, appendicular, and visceral muscles.

KK 16.9

Divisions of the Nervous System

1) Central Nervous System: brain and spinal cord 2) Peripheral Nervous System: spinal and cranial nerves A) Somatic Nerves
- sensory - information from the integument, skeletal muscles - motor - information to integument and muscles

B) Visceral Nerves
- sensory - information from receptors in the viscera - motor - information to visceral muscles (gut, heart)
Visceral motor nerves comprise autonomic system. They are of two sets that act in opposition to each other. One type comprises the sympathetic nervous system and the other the parasympathetic nervous system.

Autonomic Nervous System

In this diagram, sympathetic nerves are in solid lines, and parasympathetic nerves are in dashed lines. Note that each target organ is served by both. Stimulation by the sympathetic system speeds up heart rate and breathing, and generally prepares the animal for fight or flight. The parasympathetic system stimulates digestion and suppresses most effects of the the sympathetic system. (see Kardong Table 16.4)

Note that the sympathetic nerves are thoracic and lumbar, whereas the parasympathetic nerves are cranial and sacral. KK 16.21, H&G 17.16

Again :
Sensory neurons travel via dorsal root into the spinal cord. Their cell bodies are in the dorsal root ganglia. Motor neurons travel via ventral root out of the spinal cord. Their cell bodies are in the grey matter of the cord. Somatic neurons (sensory or motor) use somatic or dorsal ramus. Visceral neurons use visceral or ventral ramus.

A complication: The previous diagram illustrates the pattern for spinal nerves in amniotes, but in lampreys only somatic motor fibres use the ventral root.
Non-amniotes may have visceral motor neurons using either root, as below left. Knowing this helps us understand the cranial nerves (which are not so neatly arranged as spinal nerves!)
Fig. 17-12

Cranial Nerves - peripheral nerves emerging from the brain

The cranial nerves are numbered with Roman numerals I through up to XII, and some recognize an anterior nerve 0 (terminalis).

Special Sensory Nerves. Three cranial nerves are associated with the special sense organs. They are not serially homologous with the rest of the peripheral nervous system. These are the olfactory nerve (I), the optic nerve (II) and the auditory (statoacoustic) nerve (VIII). Dorsal Root Cranial Nerves. These cranial nerves are sensory and visceral motor in function, and serially homologous with dorsal roots of spinal nerves.
Ventral Root Cranial Nerves. These are somatic motor in function, and serially homologous with the ventral roots of spinal nerves.

Ventral view of shark brain showing the cranial nerves.

Special Dorsal Root (sensory or visceral motor) Visceral Root (somatic motor) KK 16.14, H&G 17.14

Cranial nerves help us understand the segmentation of the vertebrate head, which has been highly modifed and no longer appears segmented.
The diagram illustrates the hypothesized ancestral situation of the dorsal roots, and the dorsal root cranial nerves of a fish. The vertebrate head has at least 7 segments (see Table 16.2 in Kardong) but if the upper diagram is correct it would be 8 or more.
KK 16.16, H&G 10.7