A system that controls all of the

activities of the body.

Your Amazing Brain

Receives information within a fraction of a second, too
minuscule to measure
Acts on the external universe allows you to cry, walk,
play a musical instrument
Utilizes language one of your most advanced functions
Possesses emotions creates your affective universe
Thinks is responsible for your memory, intelligence, your
thoughts
Controls your autonomic functions heart rate, breathing,
homeostasis
Controls your immune system protects you from viruses

Central Nervous
System
Peripheral Nervous System

Central Nervous System

Brain
Brain
Spinal Cord

Spinal
Cord

The Spinal Cord

Protected by a column of bones
Connects the brain to the rest of the nervous system
Sends messages to the brain
Produces some behaviors of its own without the help of the
brain
These spinal reflexes are automatic, requesting no
conscience effort
Sometimes they are influenced by thought and emotion
Example: touching a hot iron
The spinal cord sends messages to the brain.
The spinal cord sends messages to the brain.

The Brain
Areas of the Brain
The Four Lobes of the Brain
Lateralization
Contralateral function

The Hind Brain

Medulla breathing, heart rate, digestion, other
vital reflexes(swallowing,coughing,vomiting,sneezing)
Pons sleeping, walking, dreaming
Reticular Activating System alertness,
arousal, attention
Cerebellum balance coordinated, rapid
voluntary movements
e.g., playing the
piano, kicking,
throwing, etc.

The Midbrain
Thalamus
"central switching station"
relays and processes
incoming sensory
information (except
olfactory) to the higher
brain centers
The sight of sunset is
directed to a visual area

The only sense that

completely bypasses the
thalamus is the sense of
smell, which has its
private switching station,
the olfactory bulb

The Midbrain
The Limbic System
Hypothalamus
Amygdala
Hippocampus

Hypothalamus
Contains nuclei involved in a variety of behaviors
sexual behavior
hunger, thirst
sleep
water and salt balance
body temperature regulation
circadian rhythms
role in hormone secretion
Hypothalamus releases hormones or releasing factors
which in turn cause pituitary gland to release its hormones

Amygdala
Inputs come from all
senses
Amygdala reads
emotional significance
of inputs
Output influences such
functions as heart rate,
adrenaline release

Amygdala and Emotion

Identify emotion from
facial expressions

Amygdala damage
makes this task
difficult

Hippocampus
Important in
forming new
memories

The Forebrain
The Cerebrum
Higher forms of thinking take place in it
It is divided into two halves called the cerebral
hemispheres that are connected by a large
band of fibers called the corpus callosum
They have different tasks (lateralization)

The Forebrain
The Cerebral Cortex
The cerebrum is covered by several thin
layers of densely packed cells known as
the cerebral cortex
On each cerebral hemisphere, deep fissures
divide the cortex into 4 lobes

The Four Lobes of the

Cerebral Cortex
Occipital
Lobes

Parietal
Lobe

Temporal
Lobes

Frontal
Lobes

-at the
back of the
head
-Visual
cortex

-at the top

of the
brain
-Somatosensory
cortex
-pressure,
touch, pain

-at the
sides of
the brain
-Auditory
cortex
-memory,
perception,
emotion,
language

-toward the
front of the
brain
-Motor cortex
-voluntary
movement of
muscles
-decision,
problemsolving,
planning

Functions of the Cortex

Motor Cortex

Motor Cortex an area of

the frontal lobes that
controls voluntary
movements.
It sends messages out to
the body.
When stimulating,
specific parts of the
region in the left or right
hemisphere, specific
body parts moved on the
opposite side of the body.

Somatosensory Cortex

Contralateral Motor Control

Movements controled by motor area
Right hemisphere controls left side of
body
Left hemisphere controls right side
Motor nerves cross sides in spinal cord

Functions of the Cortex

Sensory Cortex the area at
the front of the parietal lobes
that receives, registers, and
processes body sensations.
Association Functions
areas of the cerebral cortex
that are not involved in
primary motor or sensory
functions; rather, they are
involved in higher mental
functions such as
learning, remembering,
thinking, and speaking.

Motor Cortex

Somatosensory Cortex

Lateralization
Left Hemisphere
Verbal competence
Speaking, reading,
thinking & reasoning
Processes info in sequence
One piece of data at a time
logical

Right Hemisphere
Nonverbal areas
Comprehension, spatial
relationships, drawing,
music, emotion
Processes info. As a whole
Intuitive

Peripheral Nervous System

contains only nerves and
connects the brain and spinal cord
(CNS) to the rest of the body.
3 kinds of neurons connect CNS
to the body
sensory
motor
interneurons
Motor - CNS to muscles and
organs
Sensory - sensory receptors to
CNS
Interneurons: Connections Within
CNS

Brain
Spinal
Cord

Nerves

Peripheral Nervous System

Peripheral Nervous System
Skeletal
(Somatic)

Autonomic

Sympathetic

Parasympathetic

Somatic System
Nerves to/from
spinal cord
control muscle
movements
somatosensory
inputs

Both Voluntary
and reflex
movements
Skeletal Reflexes

Brain

Sensory
Neuron

Skin receptors

Motor
Neuron
Interneuron

Muscle

Autonomic System
Two divisions:
sympathetic
Parasympatheitic

Control involuntary functions

heartbeat
blood pressure
respiration
perspiration
digestion

Can be influenced by thought and emotion

Sympathetic
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM SYMPATHETIC

Fight or flight response

Release adrenaline and
noradrenaline
Increases heart rate and
blood pressure
Increases blood flow to
skeletal muscles
Inhibits digestive
functions

Brain

Dilates pupil
Stimulates salivation
Relaxes bronchi
Spinal
cord

Salivary
glands
Lungs

Accelerates heartbeat
Inhibits activity

Heart
Stomach
Pancreas

Stimulates glucose
Secretion of adrenaline,
nonadrenaline
Relaxes bladder
Sympathetic
Stimulates ejaculation
ganglia
in male

Liver
Adrenal
gland
Kidney

Parasympathetic
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM PARASYMPATHETIC
Brain

Rest and digest

system
Calms body to
conserve and
maintain energy
Lowers heartbeat,
breathing rate,
blood pressure

Contracts pupil
Stimulates salivation
Spinal
cord

Constricts bronchi

Slows heartbeat
Stimulates activity

Stimulates gallbladder
Gallbladder
Contracts bladder
Stimulates erection

Summary of autonomic
differences
Autonomic nervous system controls physiological arousal
Sympathetic
division (arousing)
Pupils dilate
Decreases

Parasympathetic
division (calming)
EYES

Pupils contract

SALVATION

Increases

Perspires

SKIN

Dries

Increases

RESPERATION

Decreases

Accelerates

HEART

Slows

Inhibits

DIGESTION

Activates

Secrete stress
hormones

ADRENAL
GLANDS

Decrease secretion
of stress hormones

Basic Tasks of the Nervous

System

Sensory Input:
Monitor both
external and internal
environments.

Integration: Process
the information and
often integrate it with
stored information.
Motor output: If
necessary, signal
effector organs to
make an appropriate
response.

 Cell body:
functional portion
Dendrites: short
extensions that
receive signals
Axon: long
extension that
transmits impulses
away

Nerve Impulse - The Action Potential

Threshold potential will trigger

an action potential or nerve
impulse

The action potential is an all-ornone response

How does a signal move from

one neuron to another?
The junction between a nerve cell and another
cell is called a synapse. The space between two
cells is known as the synaptic cleft.
Messages travel within the neuron as an electrical
action potential.
To cross the synaptic cleft requires the actions of
neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are biochemical substances
which carry information.
stored in small synaptic vessicles clustered at the
tip of the axon and released by the signal cell
(axon) to the receiver cell(dendrite).

Types of chemical synapse

Acetylcholine: neuromuscular junctions,
glands, brain and spinal cord
Norepinepherine: affects brain regions
concerned with emotions, dreaming

Chemical Messengers in the

NS
Neurotransmitters
Endorphins
Hormones

Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters travel from one neuron
to another. Changes occur in the
receiving neurons membrane,
The ultimate effect is either:
Excitatory: the probability that the receiving
neuron will fire increases
Inhibitory: the probability that the receiving
neuron will fire decreases

Neurotransmitters
Serotonin
Sleep, appetite, sensory perception, temperature
regulation, pain suppression, and mood
Dopamine
Voluntary movement, learning, memory, and
emotion
Acetylcholine
Muscle action, cognitive functioning, memory, and
emotion

Neurotransmitters
Norepinephrine
Increased heart rate and the slowing of
intestinal activity during stress, learning,
memory, dreaming, waking from sleep, and
emotion
GABA
(gama-aminobutyic acid)
The major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the
brain

Hormones
Insulin
Produced by the pancreas
Regulates the bodys use of glucose & affects
appetite
Melatonin
Secreted by the pineal gland
Helps to regulate daily biological rhythms and
promotes sleep.

Hormones
Adrenal Hormones
Produced by the adrenal glands are involved in
emotion and stress. They rise in response to
nonemotional conditions, such as cold, heat, pin
injury, and physical exercise, and in response to
some drugs such as caffeine and nicotine.
The Outer Part
Cortisol
The Inner Part
Epinephrine & Norepinephrine

Hormones
Sex Hormones
Are secreted by the gonads and by the
adrenal glands
Androgens
Masculinizing Hormones
Estrogens
Feminizing Hormones

Neurotransmitters & Hormones

Acetylcholine
Shortage in acetylcholine may be associated with
Alzheimers disease
Dopamine
The degeneration of brain cells that produce and
use another neurotransmitter, dopamine,
appears to cause symptoms of Parkinsons
disease.
Low levels of dopamine may cause ADHD

Neurotransmitters & Hormones

Serotonin
Decrease in norepinephrine and serotonin is
associated with depression. Elevated levels
along with other biochemical and brain
abnormalities have been implicated in childhood
autism.
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine, epinephrine, and adrenaline are
associated with excitement and stress.

Neurotransmitters & Hormones

Cortisol
Cortisol is associated with stress. Increase in cortisol
damages the brain and may be associated with
posttraumatic stress.
GABA
Abnormal GABA levels have between implicated in sleep
and eating disorders and in compulsive disorders.
Glutamate
Glutamate, serotonin, and high levels of dopamine have
been associated with schizophrenia