Download The Nervous System

The Nervous System
By: Sonia Espinosa, Matt Marchisotta, and Jillian
Abizadeh
The Nervous System’s Main Function

Your body’s control system, it sends, receives, and processes nerve
impulses all throughout the body
 The nervous system is comprised of nerves made up of specialized cells
known as neurons
 The nervous system is essential when it comes to perceiving and
comprehending the external world
Where is the nervous system in your
body?...everywhere!
Main parts of the System and vocabulary

Brain- An organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning as the coordinating center of sensation
and intellectual and nervous activity

Cerebrum- The principal and most anterior part of the brain in vertebrates

Cerebellum- The part of the brain at the back of the skull in vertebrates, it also coordinates and regulates muscular activity

Medulla- The inner region of an organ or tissue, especially when it is distinguishable from the outer region or cortex

Spinal Cord- The cylindrical bundle of nerve fibers and associated tissue that is enclosed in the spine and connects nearly all
parts of the body to the brain

Nerves- A whitish fiber or bundle of fibers that transmits impulses of sensation to the brain or spinal cord, and impulses from
these to the muscles and organs

Neurons- A specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses

Impulses- A sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act

Neurotransmitter- A chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by
diffusing across the synapse or junction

Reflexes- An action that is performed as a response to a stimulus and without conscious thought

Stimulus- a thing or event that evokes a specific functional reaction in an organ or tissue

Response- an behavior of a living organism that results from an external or internal stimulus
Some pictures to brighten your day!
….and more!
What each part does:
 Central nervous system- consists of the brain and spinal cord, sends out
nerve impulses and analyzes information from the sense organs, it is the
main control center in your body, and the center of thought.
 Peripheral nervous system- includes the craniospinal nerves that branch off
from the brain and spinal cord; from the central nervous system, it carries
nerve impulses to the muscles and glands
 Autonomic nervous system- regulates involuntary action, such as a heart
beat and digestion.
Never seen a brain?! Well now ya have!
Describe the path a nerve impulse travels
throughout the body from stimulus to response
 They pass through the thoracic region to innervate the internal organs
How the system affects other body systems
 Receptors in muscles provide the brain with information about body
position and movement. The brain controls the contraction of skeletal
muscle. The nervous system regulates the speed at which food moves
through the digestive tract.
How other body systems affect the system
 Bones from the skeletal system provide calcium that is essential for the
proper functioning of the nervous system.
 In the endocrine system, reproductive hormones affect the development of
the nervous system.
 The digestive system sends sensory information to the brain.
 Reproductive hormones from the reproductive system affect brain
development and sexual behavior.
Two diseases of the nervous system
 Epilepsy, in which abnormal electrical discharges from brain cells can seize
which means they can cause seizures, epilepsy is triggered by bright and or
flashing lights. That is why there are caution signs in movies or television
shows that have bright and or flashing lights
 Huntington’s disease, which is an inherited condition that causes the nerve
cells in the brain to degenerate.
Effects of outside/environmental factors on the
system
 Lead in the nervous system causes…
 Kidney damage
 Learning disabilities
 Attention deficit disorder
 Decreased intelligence
Fun Facts!
 There are millions of nerve cells in the human body. This number even
exceeds the number of stars in the Milky Way.
 The human brain consists of about 100 billion neurons. If all these neurons
were to be lined up, it would form a 600 mile long line.
 In humans, the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body,
while the left side of the brain controls the right side.
Resources

http://artdistrictchiropractic.com/new-patient-center/fun-facts.html

http://www.livescience.com/22665-nervous-system.html

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain

https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/organ.html

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro00/web2/Patel.html

http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/brain.html

http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/medulla-oblongata

https://www.uab.edu/medicine/sci/faqs-about-spinal-cord-injury-sci/what-does-thespinal-cord-do

https://www.reference.com/science/nerves-5c6f4991b82d6b73
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http://www.brainfacts.org/brain-basics/neuroanatomy/articles/2012/the-neuron/