The Nervous System

1. The Nervous System

2. Function of the Nervous System • The nervous system receives information about what is happening both inside and outside your body. It also directs the way in which your body responds to this information. In addition, your nervous system helps maintain homeostasis.

3. Structure of the Nervous System • Nervous system can be broken down to two parts, the and the nervous system Central Peripheral

4. Central Nervous System • Brain-controls all the functions of your body • -made of interneurons • Cerebrum-interprets input from the senses,controlsmovement and carries out complex mental processes such as learning and remembering. • Cerebellum-coordinates the actions of your muscle (balance) • Brain Stem- controls your body’s involuntary actions (heart beat)

5. Central Nervous System con’t • Spinal Cord- link between your brain and the peripheral nervous system.

6. Peripheral Nervous System Network of nerves that branch out from the central nervous system and connect the rest of the body

7. Structure of a Nerve Cell • Neuron- the cell that carries the information through your body.

8. Structure of a Nerve Cell • A neuron has a large cell body that contains the nucleus, • dendrites threadlike extensions on the cell body that carry impulses toward the neuron’s cell body. • axon carries impulses away from the cell body. cell body dendrites axon nucleus

9. Types of Nerves • 1. Sensory Neurons- pick up stimuli from the internal or external environmentand convert into a nerve impulse. • 2. Interneurons- are neurons that carry impulses from one neuron to another. • 3. Motor Neurons- sends an impulse to a muscle or gland to react in response.

10. How an Impulse is Transferred: • - The junction where one neuron meets another and an impulse is transferred is called a synapse. For a nerve impulse to be carried along at a synapse, it must cross the gap between the axon and the next structure. The axon tips release chemicals that carry the impulse across the gap.

11. Brains