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Your Nervous System
In this lesson, you will Learn About…
 How the nervous system works.
 The different parts of the nervous system.
 Protecting your nervous system from injury.
Bell Work
What are the two important jobs that your
respiratory system carries out?
Standards
1: The student will comprehend concepts
related to health promotion to enhance
health.
Indicators/ E.Q.
How does your nervous system function
and why is it so important to protect our
nervous system?
Relevance
Without our nervous system, we can not do
anything. Prove why this statement is
true or false.
Your Nervous System
The Vocabulary terms in this lesson are:
 Neurons.
 Central nervous system (CNS).
 Peripheral nervous system (PNS).
 Somatic system.
 Autonomic system.
The Nerve Center
The specialized cells that make up the
nervous system are called neurons.
Neurons carry information. They send
messages from the body to the brain, and
from the brain to the body. These
messages are in the form of electrical
signals.
How the Nervous System Works
1. A tap on the shoulder activates sensory neurons
in the skin and muscles. The neurons send the
message to the spinal cord and from there to the
brain.
2. One part of the brain interprets the message
received as a touch.
3. Another part of the
brain sends a message
to motor neurons in
muscles in the body.
Muscles in the head and
neck are activated, and
the head turns.
Parts of the Nervous System
Your nervous system has two main parts.
 The central nervous system (CNS) includes
the brain and spinal cord. It is the body’s
main control center.
 The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes
the nerves that connect the CNS to all parts of
the body.
The Nervous System
CNS
PNS
Brain
Cervical nerves
Cranial nerves
Spinal cord
Spinal nerves
Thoracic
nerves
Lumbar nerves
Sacral nerves
Coccygeal
nerves
Central Nervous System
The CNS has two main parts:
 Brain
 Spinal cord
The CNS controls two kinds of actions:
 Involuntary actions – those that you do not
control, such as heartbeat and certain
digestive processes
 Voluntary actions – those that you control,
such as walking and talking.
Parts of the Brain
The cerebrum is the largest portion of the
brain. It controls the senses, movement
of muscles, thinking, and speech.
The cerebellum controls
balance, posture, and
coordination.
The brain stem controls some
important automatic body
functions, such as heartbeat,
breathing, blood pressure,
and digestion.
The meninges are
membranes that cover the
brain and the spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System
The PNS is composed of neurons
throughout the body and the nerves that
connect them to the CNS.
The PNS has two main parts:
 The somatic system is a system dealing with
actions that you control.
 The autonomic system is a system dealing
with actions you do not usually control.
Problems of the Nervous System
Several diseases and disorders—most
resulting from injury—can affect the
nervous system:
 Head injury is usually caused by a blow to
the head.
 Spinal cord injury can result from damage to
the head, neck, or body.
 Nerve inflammation can follow a minor
injury.
Problems of the Nervous System
(cont’d.)
Some nervous system disorders are not
related to injuries:
 Meningitis is an infection of the meninges.
 A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of
tissue that kills normal neurons around it.
 Epilepsy causes a person to have seizures.
 Multiple sclerosis damages the protective
outer coating of nerves, and nerves no longer
work properly.
 Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by
inflamed areas in the brain and death of
neurons.
Care of the Nervous System
Following these strategies can help
protect the nervous system and prevent
many head and spinal cord injuries:




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Get enough sleep.
Avoid alcohol and other drugs.
Play safely.
Wear a safety belt.
Obey all traffic safety rules.
Reviewing Terms and Facts
Neurons are the specialized cells
1. _________
that make up the nervous system.
Reviewing Terms and Facts
2. What are five ways to protect the
nervous system and prevent many
head and spinal cord injuries?
Get enough sleep.
Avoid alcohol and other drugs.
Play safely.
Wear a safety belt.
Obey all traffic safety rules.
Thinking Critically
3. How can strategies such as getting
enough sleep and avoiding alcohol and
other drugs help protect the nervous
system from accidental injury?
Vocabulary Review
Neurons or nerve cells are the specialized
cells that make up the nervous system.
Vocabulary Review
The central nervous system (CNS) includes
the brain and spinal cord.
Vocabulary Review
The peripheral nervous system (PNS)
includes the nerves that connect the CNS
to all parts of the body.
Vocabulary Review
The somatic system is a system dealing
with actions that you control.
Vocabulary Review
The autonomic system is a system dealing
with actions you do not usually control,
such as digestion and breathing.