Biological Bases of Behavior

CHAPTER # 2
Structure and Function of Nervous System
CONTENTS
Topic 1. Neurons and Glial cells
 Topic 2. The Neuron: Neuronal Characteristics, Types, transmutation and
communication systems.
Topic 3. Neuroanatomical direction terms and plans of reference
Topic 4. Structure of Nervous System
Topic 5. The Central Nervous System, Fore brain, mid brain, hind brain, spinal cord.
Topic 6. Peripheral Nervous System
Topic 7. Autonomic Nervous System
Presented by
Imtiaz Hussain (Lecturer)
Department of Applied Psychology Government P/G College Jhang
 Biological Bases of Behavior

Topic. 2

The Neuron: Neuronal Characteristics, Types,

transmutation and Communication systems.

9/21/2018 2
 The Neuron

Neurons are cells within the nervous system that transmit information to other nerve cells,
muscle, or gland cells. Most neurons have a cell body, an axon, and dendrites
 The Neuron characteristics
 The human brain has often been viewed as outstanding among mammalian brains:
the most cognitively able, the largest-than-expected from body size, endowed
with an overdeveloped cerebral cortex that represents over 80% of brain mass,.
 Most estimates say we have about 100 billion brain cells (neurons), and about ten
times that many, or one trillion, support cells (glia) that help the neurons. We'll
just concentrate on the neurons themselves. The brain weighs about 3 pounds,
and after age 20, you lose about a gram of brain mass per year.
 100 trillion Minimum number of neural connections, or synapses, in the human
brain. That is at least 1,000 times the number of stars in our galaxy.
 Neurons continue to grow and change beyond the first years of development and
well into adulthood.
 Heart contains a little brain in its own right. Yes, the human heart, in addition to its
other functions, actually possesses a heart-brain composed of about 40,000
neurons that can sense, feel, learn and remember.
 Every second, 32,000 neurons -- brain cells -- die; that's 1.9 million in a minute. In
that same minute, your brain loses 14 billion synapses, the vital intersections
between neurons
The Neuron characteristics….

 There are many type of neurons. They vary in size from 4 microns (.004 mm)
to 100 microns (.1 mm) in diameter. Their length varies from a fraction of an inch
to several feet. Neurons are nerve cells that transmit nerve signals to and from the
brain at up to 200 mph.
 The cell body of a motor neuron is approximately 100 microns (0.1 millimeter) in
diameter and as you now know, the axon is about 1 meter (1,000 millimeter) in
length. So, the axon of a motor neuron is 10,000 times as long as the cell body is
wide.
 Tips to Boost Your Brain Neuron and Memory

 Fatty Fish.  Exercise your body — for your brain. ...

 Coffee.  Practice deep listening.
 Read books.  Don’t use the sugar.
 Dark Chocolate.  Socialize.
 Nuts.  Use the opposite hand
 Wash your hair with your eyes closed
 Eat Blueberries.
 Draw Diagrams.
 Keep Yourself Engaged.
 Avoid negative thinking.
 Eat Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
 Improve Positive thinking
 Exercise.  Play brain games.
 Drink Green Tea.  Use Colors.
 Practice meditation to decrease stress.
 Take up cognitive training exercises.
 Types of Neurons by Function

There are as many as 10,000 specific types of neurons in the human brain,
There are three kinds of neurons: motor neurons (for conveying motor information),
sensory neurons (for conveying sensory information), and interneurons (which convey
information between different types of neurons).
1. Sensory neurons or Afferent
2. Motor neurons or efferent
3. Interneurons or Associated
 Sensory neurons or Afferent

Sensory neurons also known as afferent

neurons are neurons that convert a specific
type of stimulus, via their receptors, into
action potentials or graded potentials. This
process is called sensory transduction. The
cell bodies of the sensory neurons are
located in the dorsal ganglia of the spinal
cord.
 Motor neurons or efferent

Sensory nerves, sometimes called

afferent nerves, carry information
from the outside world, such as
sensations of heat, cold, and pain,
to the brain and spinal cord.
Motor nerves, or efferent nerves,
transmit impulses from the brain
and spinal cord to the muscles.
 Interneurons or Associated

Interneurons create neural circuits, enabling communication between sensory or

motor neurons and the central nervous system (CNS). They have been found to
function in reflexes.
 Types of Neurons Structure

Synapses enable the dendrites from a single neuron to interact and receive signals
from many other neurons.
Axons are tube-like structures that send signals to other neurons, muscles, or organs;
not all neurons have axons.
Neurons are divided into four major types:
1. Unipolar Neurone
2. Bipolar Neurone
3. Multipolar Neuron
4. Pseudounipolar neuron
 Unipolar Neurone

Unipolar neurons have but one process from the cell body. However, that single, very
short, process splits into longer processes (a dendrite plus an axon). Unipolar neurons
are sensory neurons - conducting impulses into the central nervous system.
 Bipolar Neurone

A bipolar neuron or bipolar cell, is a type

of neuron which has two
extensions. Bipolar cells are specialized
sensory neurons for the transmission of
special senses. As such, they are part of the
sensory pathways for smell, sight, taste,
hearing and vestibular functions.
 Multipolar Neuron

A multipolar neuron (or multipolar neurone)

is a type of neuron that possesses a single
axon and many dendrites (and dendritic
branches), allowing for the integration of a
great deal of information from other neurons.
These processes are projections from
the nerve cell body.
 Pseudounipolar neuron

A pseudounipolar neuron (pseudo – false, uni

– one) is a kind of sensory neuron in the
peripheral nervous system.
This neuron contains an axon that has split
into two branches; one branch runs to the
periphery and the other to the spinal cord.
 Neuron Communication Systems

Neurotransmission (or synaptic transmission) is communication between neurons as

accomplished by the movement of chemicals or electrical signals across a synapse.

1. Chemicals Transmission
2. Electrical transmission
9/21/2018 17
9/21/2018 18