UNCLASSIFIED

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

REFERENCES
ESSENTIALS OF HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
CHAPTER 7, pp. 193 238

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
THE OVERALL KNOWLEDGE
OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
STRUCTURES & FUNCTIONS

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE

NERVOUS SYSTEM AFFECTS THE
QUALITY, MEANING & DIGNITY OF LIFE
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS ALWAYS
AFFECTED BY TRAUMA INJURIES
NERVOUS SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS HAVE
THE UTMOST RELEVANCE TO ASSESS
AND MONITOR THE CASUALTYS
CONDITIONS
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

NEURONS ANATOMY
HIGHLY SPECIALIZED CELLS
CHARACTERIZED BY

EXTENDED FIBERS
DENDRITES
AXON
SUPPORTIVE CELLS
GLIA (interconnections)
SCHWANN (axon myelin
sheath provides insulation)

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

NEURONS FUNCTIONS
Metabolism at the highest rate
(consuming glucose only)
Generation & transmission of impulses
(irritability & conductivity)
Release of neurotransmitters
They do not multiply themselves

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

CONDUCTIVITY

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

NERVOUS SYSTEM
ANATOMICALLY, THE SYSTEM CAN BE DIVIDED IN:
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS)
BRAIN

Cerebrum

SPINAL CORD

Brain Stem (Medulla)

Cerebellu
m

Spinal cord

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS) = NERVES

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

IS PROTECTED BY
the skull
the scalp (skin, galea, meninges, etc.)
cranial bones (frontal, parietal, occipital, etc.)
facial bones (maxilla, mandible, orbit, etc.)
the vertebral column

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

SKULL CAVITY & SUB-CAVITIES

ANTERIOR
CRANIAL
FOSSA

UNCLASSIFIED

MIDDLE POSTERIOR
CRANIAL
CRANIAL
FOSSA
FOSSA

10

UNCLASSIFIED

CRANIAL AND FACIAL BONES

UNCLASSIFIED

11

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

12

UNCLASSIFIED

MENINGES

UNCLASSIFIED

13

UNCLASSIFIED

CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (CSF)

Characteristics
bright, yellowish serum-like fluid
located between the membranes
acts as a cushion for the brain which is floating
into the skull cavity
carries some nutrients to the brain

Circulation
It is produced, circulates and then is discharged
into the veins

UNCLASSIFIED

14

UNCLASSIFIED

THE BRAIN
A jelly-like organ
Covered by a number of membranes (meninges)
Has a rich blood supply
It is housed in the skull, which is rigid therefore
any increase of the pressure inside the skull
(bleeding or brain tissue swelling) may squeeze
the brain causing a lack of perfusion (ischemia)

UNCLASSIFIED

15

UNCLASSIFIED

THE BRAIN LEVELS

UNCLASSIFIED

16

UNCLASSIFIED

CEREBRUM CORTEX

UNCLASSIFIED

17

UNCLASSIFIED

CEREBRUM
It consists of
2 hemispheres composed by lobes
crossed pathways
Its functions are:
Emotions (aggression, motivation, sex-drive, etc.)
Memory (thinking, calculating, etc.)
Language
Voluntary motor functions
Integration & interpretation of sensory
information (heat, cold, pain, etc.) special
senses included (vision, hearing,taste smell)
UNCLASSIFIED

18

UNCLASSIFIED

CEREBELLUM
The word means little brain
posterior and inferior to cerebrum
consists of 2 hemispheres

Its functions are:

fine tuning of motor functions
precise timing
coordination of movement
balance (equilibrium)

UNCLASSIFIED

19

UNCLASSIFIED

BRAIN STEM
It connects the brain to the spinal cord
Its functions are:
consciousness
awake-sleep cycles
water balance
metabolism
heart-rate
blood pressure
body temperature
breathing control

UNCLASSIFIED

20

UNCLASSIFIED

e.g. BREATHING CONTROL CENTERS

UNCLASSIFIED

21

UNCLASSIFIED

SPINAL CORD
Inside the vertebral canal,
surrounded by meninges,

Its functions are:

communication between brain &
peripheral nervous system
reflexes
UNCLASSIFIED

22

UNCLASSIFIED

REFLEXES

UNCLASSIFIED

23

UNCLASSIFIED

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS)

IT IS THE PART OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OUTSIDE THE
SKELETAL PROTECTION THAT CONNECTS THE CNS TO
THE REST OF THE BODY (SYSTEMS, ORGANS, TISSUES, etc.)
ITS FUNCTIONS ARE:
SENSORY & MOTOR, CARRIED OUT BY
12 PAIRS OF CRANIAL NERVES
31 PAIRS OF SPINAL NERVES

UNCLASSIFIED

24

UNCLASSIFIED

SOMATIC DIVISION OF THE PNS

SENSORY NERVES: TRANSMISSION OF
STIMULI FROM THE ENVIRONMENT
TO THE CNS
SOMATIC SENSORY FROM SKIN, SKELETAL
MUSCLES AND JOINTS
VISCERAL SENSORY FROM VISCERAL ORGANS

MOTOR NERVES:
TRANSMISSION OF ORDERS FROM THE
CNS
TO THE SKELETAL
MUSCLES AND THE VARIOUS ORGANS

UNCLASSIFIED

25

UNCLASSIFIED

SOMATIC DIVISION OF THE PNS

UNCLASSIFIED

26

UNCLASSIFIED

AUTONOMIC DIVISION OF THE PNS

SYMPATHETIC (FLIGHT OR FIGHT)

RAPID DEEP BREATH

TACHYCARDIA
INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE
BRONCHODILATION
DILATION OF THE CORONARY AND MUSCLE VESSELS
NARROWING OF THE VISCERAL AND SKIN VESSELS
PHYSICALLY STRESSED & EMOTIONALLY UPSET

PARASYMPATHETIC
RESTING
DIGESTING

UNCLASSIFIED

27

UNCLASSIFIED

AUTONOMIC DIVISION OF THE PNS

THE PARASYMPATHETIC FIBERS ARE MOSTLY
CONNECTED DIRECTLY WITH THE BRAIN STEM

UNCLASSIFIED

THE SYMPATHETIC FIBERS

PASS FROM THE SPINAL CORD

28

UNCLASSIFIED

SUMMARY
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS THE MASTER CONTROLLING
AND COMMUNICATING SYSTEM OF THE BODY
REGULATORY SYSTEM
COORDINATING SYSTEM
MENTAL ACTIVITIES

Homeostasis

EVERY THOUGHT, ACTION AND EMOTION REFLECTS

ITS ACTIVITY
SENSORY INPUT INTEGRATION MOTOR OUTPUT
ELECTRICAL IMPULSES

UNCLASSIFIED

29

UNCLASSIFIED

HOMEOSTASIS
THE BALANCE OF THE BODY SYSTEMS

THE HUMAN BODY REACTS TO CHANGES

DETECTS (SENSORY ORGANS)
INTERPRETS (NERVOUS SYSTEM)
RESPONDS (VARIOUS ORGANS)

UNCLASSIFIED

30

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

31

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

32

UNCLASSIFIED

ANY QUESTIONS ?

UNCLASSIFIED