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Nervous system. Nervous system. 2 main parts 1) Central Nervous System (CNS) Brain: central processing center Spinal cord: extends down back below brain. Nervous system. 2 main parts 2) Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Connects CNS to muscles, sensory cells, etc.
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Nervous system • 2 main parts • 1) Central Nervous System (CNS) • Brain: central processing center • Spinal cord: extends down back below brain
Nervous system • 2 main parts • 2) Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) • Connects CNS to muscles, sensory cells, etc. • 12 pairs of cranial nerves (attached to brain) • _________ pairs of spinal nerves (attached to spinal cord)
Nervous system • Functions: • 1) Monitors changes in external and internal environment • Receptors: gather information
Nervous system • Functions: • 1) Monitors changes in external and internal environment • Receptors: gather information • 2) Sends messages in response to information gathered • Effectors: cells that respond to message (glands, muscles)
Nervous system • 3 types of nerve cells (neurons) • Sensory neurons (act as receptors) • Found in skin, organs. Cell body of neuron outside of CNS. Long dendrites, ____________ axons
Nervous system • 3 types of nerve cells (neurons) • Motor neurons (carry message to effectors) • Cell bodies contained within CNS. Short dendrites, long axons
Nervous system • 3 types of nerve cells (neurons) • Association neurons (often link sensory and motor neurons) • Cell bodies in CNS. Connect motor and sensory neurons. Connect sensory neurons to ____________
The neuron • Functional unit of nervous system • Neuron: dendrite (incoming messages), cell body, axon (outgoing message)
Neuroglia • Neuroglia (supporting cells) • Schwann cells (PNS) and oligodendrocytes (CNS) • Form myelin sheath, Nodes of Ranvier
Neuroglia • Myelinated axons are whitish: called white matter in nerves/spinal cord/brain • Unmyelinated axons/dendrites and cell bodies are grayish: called gray matter
Neuroglia • Secrete myelin (80% ___________) • Cells wrap axon in a whitish “jelly roll”: myelin sheath
Neuroglia • Functions: • 1) support and protect nerve cell from injury • 2) nourish nerve cell (lies between blood vessels and neurons) • 3) electrical insulator: increases rate of impulse, insulates against firing of other neurons • 4) aids in regeneration of sensory nerves after ______________
Neuroglia • Example of importance: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) • 2 million people worldwide • Body’s immune system attacks myelin sheaths • Result: poor nerve impulse conduction. Lose ability to _____________ muscles • Cause? Uncertain: genetics, viral infection
How a nerve works • Nerve impulse: • electrochemical signal • great speed: up to _________ miles per hour • resting nerve has charge difference across membrane: membrane “polarized” • impulse: wave of depolarization caused by sudden influx of Na+ into axon • followed by repolarization: return to original polarized state
How a nerve works • Resting neuron • Lots Na+ outside membrane and K+ on inside • Charge is + outside and - inside due to Cl- and proteins on inside of membrane • Maintained by Na-K pumps
How a nerve works • Resting neuron • Neuron said to be polarized • Charge difference across membrane called _________ potential. About -70 millivolts (mV)
How a nerve works • Resting neuron movie
How a nerve works • Firing neuron • stimulus arrives • if stimulus is enough, causes neuron to fire • firing is production of an action potential across membrane: change in _____________ distribution • goes from -70 mV (resting potential) to +30 mV (at peak of action potential)
How a nerve works • Firing neuron • 1) membrane channels open to allow Na+ to rush in • 2) extra K+ channels open and lots of K+ flows out • This repolarizes membrane • 3) Refractory period: time during which original state is regenerated by Na-K pumps. During this time, neuron __________ fire again.
How a nerve works • The firing neuron movie
How a nerve works • Nerve firing: • All or none response. A nerve either fires or it doesn’t • Very brief. Lasts about ________ millisecond • Transmitted along sections of axon like “the wave” in a stadium
How a nerve works • Myelin sheaths speed impulse movement • allow action potential to jump between nodes • action potential only produced at nodes, not in between
How a nerve works • Myelin sheaths speed impulse movement • like stadium with sections of empty seats. “Wave” jumps to next filled section • called saltatory conduction
How a nerve works • Note speed of myelinated axons • Note also that axon diameter influences speed of impulse. Larger axon, ___________ speed.
Neuron to neuron transmission • 2 neurons usually don’t touch • Share synapse: tiny intercellular space (synaptic cleft)
Neuron to neuron transmission • Chemical transmission of impulse: • 1)Action potential in firing axon stimulates release of synaptic vesicles into synapse
Neuron to neuron transmission • Chemical transmission of impulse: • 2) Vesicles contain neurotransmitters • 3) Neurotransmitters diffuse across cleft to _________ proteins in postsynaptic membrane (dendrite of other neuron or muscle cell as shown here)
Neuron to neuron transmission • Chemical transmission of impulse: • 4) Receptor proteins cause start of action potential in postsynaptic membrane • 5) Enzymes ______________ neurotransmitters when transmission is completed. Prepares synapse for the next impulse.
Neurotransmitters • Vital substances in transfer of messages between neurons
Neurotransmitters • 2 main types • 1) excitatory transmitters: cause depolarization of postsynaptic membrane • 2) inhibitory transmitters: stabilize membrane against depolarization
Neurotransmitters • Acetylcholine: Neurotransmitter between motor nerve axon and skeletal muscle cell • Example of excitatory neurotransmitter • Causes depolarization of muscle cell membrane and stimulation of ________________
Neurotransmitters • How stop stimulus? Acetylcholinesterase: enzyme breaks down acetylcholine • What happens if acetylcholinesterase inhibited? Muscle contraction uncontrolled. • This is _________...... • Some chemicals designed to kill by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase
Neurotransmitters • Nerve gas: works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase • Example, VX gas featured in “The Rock” VX gas spheres in “The Rock”
Neurotransmitters • Nerve gas: works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase • Example, sarin gas • Used in Tokyo subway attack by religious cult in 1995 (12 dead)
Neurotransmitters • Nerve gas: works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase • Example, sarin gas • Used by Saddam Hussein and his pal “Chemical Ali” in 1988 against Kurds at Halabjah (5,000 killed)
Neurotransmitters • Nerve gas: works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase • Example, sarin gas • US Army used incinerator at Anniston AL to destroy some sarin gas (Sept. 2003)
Neurotransmitters • GABA: an inhibitory neurotransmitter • Allows ________ into neuron membrane, making it even more negative inside. • Thus harder to develop action potential
Neurotransmitters • Some sedatives take advantage of GABA mechanism • Ex, Valium: enhances binding of GABA to its receptors. Harder for neurons to fire.
Neurotransmitters • Serotonin: Involved in sleep regulation and emotional states • Insufficient serotonin production involved in depression, Parkinson’s disease
Neurotransmitters • Prozac: blocks reabsorption of serotonin to make up for _________ of production
Neurotransmitters • Serotonin • LSD: blocks serotonin receptors in portion of brain to produce hallucinations or “trip”
Neurotransmitters • Cocaine: Affects neurons in brain’s “pleasure pathways” (limbic system)
Neurotransmitters • Slows reabsorption of transmitters, so pleasure messages intensified
Neurotransmitters • Addiction: body adjusts to drug. Example, cocaine • Decrease number of neurotransmitter receptors • When drug removed, synapse _________ sensitive
Neurotransmitters • Addiction example, nicotine
Neurotransmitters • Nicotine binds to brain receptors that normally bind acetylcholine • Influences a number of other neurotransmitters and their receptors • Result is stimulating
Neurotransmitters • Problem: brain cells adjust numbers and sensitivities of many brain receptors • If nicotine removed (stop smoking), system unbalanced. Effects unpleasant
Neurotransmitters • Example, nicotine • Takes time to recover
Synaptic Integration • Recall that there are two types of neurotransmitters: excitatory and inhibitory • So, synapses can be either excitatory or inhibitory, depending on the neurotransmitter produced • CNS neurons often receive input from many other neurons