Nervous System and Endocrine System

 Neuron
 PNS and CNS
 Parts of Brain
 Endocrine System and Hormones
1. Sensory Neuron
2. Motor Neuron
3. Interneuron
4. Neuroglia
 Chemical substance involved in transmission
of neural impulses from one neuron to
another.
 Excitatory: Ach, dopamine, Epinephrine,
norepinephrine.
 Inhibitory: GABA, Endorphins.
 Peripheral Nervous System:
 Further divided into somatic system and
autonomic
 Somatic:
◦ Contains sensory and motor neurons.
◦ Transmits messages about sight, smell,
round, temperature etc.
◦ Messages from brain and spinal cord to
somatic Nervous System
◦ Controls purposeful body movements, such
as raising a hand, winking or running.
 Regulates glands and muscles of internal
organs.
 Automatic such as HR, respiration,
Digestive process, Dilation of pupil.

 ANS has two branches:

1) Sympathetic: fight or flight (increase HR,
inhibits digestion)

2) Parasympathetic: when relaxed (decrease

HR, stimulates digestion)
 Brain and spiral cord make up CNS.
 Spinal cord is an “information superhighway”.
 Spinal cord reflex (automatic, inborn,
involuntary and stereo typed behavior pattern)
is an unlearned response to a stimulus that
many require only two neurons i.e. sensory and
motor.
 Spinal cord and brain contain gray matter (non-
myelinated neuron cell bodies) and white
matter (myelinated neurons).
 Knee jerk, urinating, defecating are reflexes.
 Hind brain: medulla, Pons and
cerebellum.

 Mid brain: No clear demarcation

 Fore brain: Thalamus, Hypothalamus,

Limbic system and Cerebellum.
 i) Medulla:
 Regulates basic function such as HR, BP and
respiration.
 Passage of pathways, sleeping, coughing.
 ii) Pons:
 Regulation of body movement, attention, sleep,
arousal and respiration.
 iii) Cerebellum:
 Two hemispheres.
 Maintains balance and co-ordinates motor activity.
 Damage to cerebellum cause loss of balance,
motor co-ordination and muscle tone.
 Alcohol depresses functioning of cerebellum.
Thalamus:

 Located near the center of the brain.

 Two joined egg shaped structures.
 Relay station for sensory stimulation.
 For example: sensory information
from eyes is relayed to virtual areas of
cerebral cortex.
 Regulates sleep and attention in co-
ordination with other structures.
 Located near the center of the brain.
 Two joined egg shaped structures.
 Relay station for sensory stimulation.
 For example: sensory information
from eyes is relayed to virtual areas of
cerebral cortex.
 Regulates sleep and attention in co-
ordination with other structures.
 A bundle of nuclei below the thalamus
and above the pituitary glands.
 Weight=4gms.
 Hunger, thirst, sexual behavior, caring
for offspring and aggressive.
 Actually hypothalamus secretes
hormones involved in above instincts.
 A fringe along the inner edge of the cerebrum and
is fully evolved only in mammals.
 Made up of several structures including amygdale,
hippocampus and parts of the hypothalamus.
 Involved in memory and emotion and in the drives
of hunger, sex and aggression.
 Damage to limbic system compromises one’s
ability to store new memories.
 Amygdale (little almonds), a part of Limbic system,
facilitates “stereotypical aggressive responses”.
 Rage response, Fear response, emotions, memory
and learning novel things.
 Occupies the most part of cranial cavity.
 Thinking and language.
 Cerebral cortex is connected, wrinkled and
ridged.
 Fissures are the valleys in the cortex.
 Larger the surface area, greater the
cognitive skills.
 Two hemispheres, connected by corpus
callosum.
 4 lobes: Frontal, parietal, temporal and
occipital.
 The body’s system of ductless
glands that secret hormones and
release them directly into the
Blood Stream.

 Hormone is a substance secreted

by an endocrine glands that
regulated various body functions.
 Lies below hypothalamus
 Work in co-ordination.
 Dubbed as “master gland”
 Two lobes: anterior and posterior.
 growth hormone
 Prolactin
 Vasopressin or ADH
 Oxytocin
 Releasing factors by hypothalamus for
example : hGRF.
 Secretes melatonin hat helps
regulates sleep-wake cycle.
 On set of puberty and Aging.
 Mild sedative.
 Thyroxin- affects body’s metabolism.
 Hypothyroidism: overweight, sluggish,
tired. (Adults)
 Cretinism: stunted growth and mental
retardation.
 Hypothyroidism: excitability, insomnia
and weight loss.
 Above kidneys
 Medulla and cortex.
 Cortex: corticosteroids resist stress, promote
muscle developments, causes liver to release
stored sugar.
 Medulla: EN and NEN. Sympathetic branch of
ANS stimulates medulla to release EN and
NEN that help to cope with threats and stress.
 NEN also intensifies fear, anxiety and other
emotions.
 Testosterone:
 Primary and Secondary sexual
characteristic
 Growth and bone development as well
 Sex drive and aggression
 Ovaries:
 Estrogen:
 regulates menstrual cycle and
prepares uterine for pregnant
 Secondary Sexual characteristic
 Optimal cognitive function, feelings of
well-being.