Anatomy and physiology of the nervous system (2024)

The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and nervecells (neurons) that carry signals or messages to and from the brain and spinalcord to different parts of the body. It is made up of the central nervoussystem and the peripheral nervous system.

Anatomy and physiology of the nervous system (1)

The central nervoussystem (CNS) is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The brain controlsmost body functions, including awareness, movements, sensations, thoughts,speech and memory. The spinal cord is connected to the brain at the brain stemand is covered by the vertebrae of the spine. Nerves exit the spinal cord to bothsides of the body. The spinal cord carries signals back and forth between thebrain and the nerves in the rest of the body.

The peripheralnervous system (PNS) is the part of the nervous system outside of the CNS.It is made up of nerves and ganglia that send signals to and receive signalsfrom the CNS. The PNS is divided into the somatic nervous system and theautonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system controls body movementsthat are under our control such as walking. The autonomic nervous systemcontrols involuntary functions that the body does on its own such as breathingand digestion.

The autonomic nervous system is further divided into thesympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous systemprepares the body for situations that require strength and heightened awarenessor situations that arouse fear, anger, excitement or embarrassment. This iscalled the fight-or-flight response. It causes the heart to beat faster, makesyou breathe quicker and more shallowly, dilates the pupils and increasesmetabolism. The parasympathetic nervous system has a calming effect on thebody. It returns heart rate and breathing to normal, constricts the pupils andslows down metabolism to conserve energy.

Structure and function of the sympathetic nervous system @(Model.HeadingTag)>

Anatomy and physiology of the nervous system (2)

Sympathetic chain @(Model.HeadingTag)>

The sympathetic chain is made of the sympathetic chainganglia that run in a chain from the head to the tailbone (coccyx), along bothsides of the spine. Ganglia are clusters of nerve cell bodies. The sympatheticchain ganglia send messages to the head, neck, lower body (trunk) andextremities during the fight-or-flight response.

The sympathetic chain ganglia affect spinal nerves andnerves in the chest cavity. This helps to increase blood flow to skeletalmuscles and the brain, stimulate energy production for skeletal muscles to use,release stored fats and stimulate the sweat glands. It also increases heartrate, increases the pumping action of the heart and allows more air to moveinto the lungs.

Collateral ganglia @(Model.HeadingTag)>

The 3 collateral ganglia are the celiac ganglion, the superiormesenteric ganglion and the inferior mesenteric ganglion. They are in the abdomenin front of the spine. The collateral ganglia send messages to organs in theabdomen and pelvis.

The collateral ganglia affect nerves in the abdomen andpelvis. Affecting these nerves lowers blood flow to organs, lowers activity inthe digestive system, stimulates the liver to release glucose to give the bodymore energy, relaxes smooth muscle in the bladder wall and lowers urineproduction.

Adrenal medulla @(Model.HeadingTag)>

The adrenal medulla is located in the centre of each adrenalgland. These glands have specialized neurons. When these neurons arestimulated, they release chemical messengers (called neurotransmitters) intothe blood that act as hormones.

The adrenal medulla is involved in releasing hormone-likesubstances, such as epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline),into the blood. Cells that have receptors for epinephrine or norepinephrinerespond to these substances and take part in the flight-or-fight response.

Expert review and references

  • Meredith Irwin, MD

  • Daniel Morgenstern, MD

Anatomy and physiology of the nervous system (2024)

FAQs

What is nervous system answers? ›

What Is the Nervous System? The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and a complex network of nerves. This system sends messages back and forth between the brain and the body. The brain is what controls all the body's functions. The spinal cord runs from the brain down through the back.

What is the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system? ›

The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and nerve cells (neurons) that carry signals or messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to different parts of the body. It is made up of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

When a neuron is stimulated enough, it blanks.? ›

When a neuron is stimulated enough, it fires an electrical impulse that zips down its axon to its neighboring neurons. But they've only got one signal that they can send, and it only transmits at one uniform strength and speed.

What is nervous system pdf? ›

Nervous system. Controlling & Coordinating System. Conducts nerve impulses between body structures and. controls body functions.

What is the main function of the nervous system answer? ›

The nervous system transmits signals between the brain and the rest of the body, including internal organs. In this way, the nervous system's activity controls the ability to move, breathe, see, think, and more.

What are 5 components of nervous system anatomy? ›

The central nervous system (defined as the brain and spinal cord) is usually considered to have seven basic parts: the spinal cord, the medulla, the pons, the cerebellum, the midbrain, the diencephalon, and the cerebral hemispheres (Figure 1.10; see also Figure 1.8).

What is the largest part of the brain? ›

Cerebrum. The cerebrum (front of brain) comprises gray matter (the cerebral cortex) and white matter at its center. The largest part of the brain, the cerebrum initiates and coordinates movement and regulates temperature.

What happens if a neuron is not stimulated enough? ›

The neuron then returns to its resting electrical state, the resting potential, until stimulated again. The rate of neural transmission, however, is independent of the level of stimulation. That is, if the neural threshold is not reached, the neuron will not fire.

What do neurons lack? ›

It lacks centrioles, however. Because centrioles function in cell division, the fact that neurons lack these organelles is consistent with the amitotic nature of the cell.

What causes neurons to activate? ›

Neural activations are mostly stimulated circularly. A neuron is activated by other neurons to which it is connected. In turn, its own activation stimulates other connected neurons to activation. If an impulse is started at any one place on the axon, it propagates in both directions.

Which nervous system controls the internal organs? ›

The autonomic nervous system controls internal body processes such as the following: Blood pressure. Heart and breathing rates. Body temperature.

What organs are in the nervous system? ›

It's made up of your brain, spinal cord and nerves. Your nervous system works by sending messages, or electrical signals, between your brain and all the other parts of your body.

What does the brain do in the nervous system? ›

The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord: The brain controls how we think, learn, move, and feel. The spinal cord carries messages back and forth between the brain and the nerves that run throughout the body.

What is the definition of the nervous system? ›

(NER-vus SIS-tem) The organized network of nerve tissue in the body. It includes the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), the peripheral nervous system (nerves that extend from the spinal cord to the rest of the body), and other nerve tissue.

What best defines the nervous system? ›

A nervous system can be defined as an organized group of cells, called neurons, specialized for the conduction of an impulse—an excited state—from a sensory receptor through a nerve network to an effector, the site at which the response occurs.

Why is the nervous system important answer? ›

The nervous system helps all the parts of the body to communicate with each other. It also reacts to changes both outside and inside the body. The nervous system uses both electrical and chemical means to send and receive messages.

What is the nervous system quizlet? ›

The nervous system is the master coordinating system of the body. Every thought, action, and sensation reflext its activity. The structures of the nervous system are described in terms of 2 principal divisions-the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

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