Human nervous system

The importance of nervous system:

1- Its main function is carrying the messages (impulses) from one body areas to another.
2- It regulates and controls all the vital processes within the body .
Examples:
a- Moving. b- Feeding. d- Digestion. d- Breathing.
e- Thinking.
3- It receives the external stimuli that surround the human beings through the sensory organs then
identifies and interprets them.
Examples:
1- knowing if things are:
- Hot or cold - sweet or bitter - rough or smooth
2- It makes you:
- Sad or happy - angry or calm
-Neuron nerve cell

Neuron: it is the building unit of the nervous system.

The structure of the neuron:
-The neuron consists of two main parts which are:

a- The cell body. b-The axon.

1- The cell body:
- It contains a nucleus cytoplasm and plasma membrane.

- There are some branches extending from the cell body called dendrites.

Dendrites: they are connected to the neighboring neurons to form the synapse.
2- The axon:
- It is a cylindrical axis covered with a fatty layer called myelin sheath.

- The axon ends with nerve ending called axon terminals.

Axon terminals: they are connected to the muscles or form a synapse with other neuron.
 The structure of the nervous system:

Nervous System

a- Central nervous system b- Peripheral nervous system

The spinal cord The brain Cranial nerves Spinal nerves

a-cerebrum b- Cerebellum c- Medulla oblongata

a- Central nervous system

The central nervous system consists of:

a-The brain.
b- The spinal cord.

a-The brain:

The brain: it is a nerve block containing millions of nerve cells (neurons) and is the main control center in
your body.

Its location:
Inside the skull. Skull
G.R.
The brain is located inside a bony box called skull.
- To protect it.

Its function:
-It directs and coordinates all the process ideas behaviors and emotions.

Its structure:
a-Cerebrum (two cerebral hemispheres).
b- Cerebellum.
c-Medulla oblongata .

1- Cerebrum (two cerebral hemispheres)

-It is the largest part of the brain.
-It is divided into two halves ( right and left ) called the two cerebral hemispheres.

-The outer surface is called cerebral cortex and it is a grey matter but the inner surface

is called white matter.

-The two hemispheres have many convolutions and folds on their surfaces.

Their functions:
1-They control the voluntary movements of the body such as running.
2-They receive nerve impulses from sense organs and send the suitable response to these impulses.
3-They contain the centers of thinking and memory.

2- Cerebellum
-It is lies at the back area of the brain below the two cerebral hemispheres.

Its function:
It maintains the balance of the body during the movement.

3- Medulla oblongata
-It lies in front of cerebellum.
-It connects the brain with the spinal cord.
Its function:
-It regulates the involuntary process of the body such as:
(heartbeats, breathing and digestion)

G.R:
Damage of medulla oblongata leads to death.
-Because it controls the involuntary process of the body such as heartbeats breathing and digestion.

b- The spinal cord:

-It is a cylindrical cord from which the spinal nerves extend.

Its location:

G.R: U

-The spinal cord extends in a channel within a series of vertebra in the backbone (vertebral column).
-To protect it.
Its function:
1-It delivers the nerves messages from the body organs to the brain and vice versa.

2-It is responsible for the reflex action.

Its structure:
It consists of:
Internal grey matter that has the shape of letter H.
External white matter.
 -The peripheral nervous system:
it is the nervous which emerge (come out) from the central nervous system.

The peripheral nervous system

Cranial nerves Spinal nerves

They are 12 pairs of nerves They are 31 pairs of nerves

emerge from the brain emerge from the spinal cord

N.B
The total number of nerves in the peripheral nerves
system is 43 pairs of nerves.
 Its function:
-It delivers the sensory information and the kinetic responses
between the central nervous system and all parts of the body.

The reflex action:

-The reflex action it is the automatic (involuntary) responses of the body to different stimuli.
Examples:
1-Withdrawing (picking up) your hand quickly when you touch a
plant with sharp thorns.
2-Withdrawing the hand quickly on touching a hot surface.
3-Blinking when something gets close to the eye.
How is the reflex action occur?
Withdrawing your hand quickly when you touch a plant with sharp thorns.
Stages of reflex action are :
1-The severity of thorns affects the nerve ending in the fingers producing nerve impulses.
2-The nerve impulses are transmitted to the spinal cord through a sensory nerve fiber.
3-There are nerve impulses are transmitted from the spinal cord through a motor nerve fiber to the arm
muscle.( without the brain interference )

So muscle contract and arms is withdrawal away from the thorn.

4-The other nerve impulses are transmitted from the spinal cord to the sensory centers in the brain which
leads to the true sense pain .
Ways to maintaining the human nervous system

1- Reducing the intake (drinking) of the stimulating substances such as tea coffee and
others.(G.R)
Because they:
a- Affect sleeping periods.
b- Affect heartbeats.
c- Lead to nervous tension.
2- Staying away from tranquilizers and stimulants.

3- Keeping away from sitting for long periods in front of computer and television. (G.R)

- To avoid harming (exhausting) of sense organs.

4- Giving the body an enough period of rest especial during sleep.
5- Avoiding the extreme exciting situations.
6- Staying away from the sources of pollution (as noisy places and smoke). (G.R)
- Because they passively affect the nervous system.
7- Doing physical exercises.

8- Staying away from addiction (G.R)

- because it passively affects the nervous system as:

a- Retardation of memory and learning. b- Nervous tension.
c- Sluggishness. d- loss time sensation e- sleepless.