Biology 10
The Nervous System
● It connects all the body parts and transmits signals from one part to
another.
● It is a system of cells, tissues, and organs that regulates the body’s
responses to internal and external stimuli.
External stimuli are changes outside the body, or knowledge that is passed to
us through our senses. This could be cold or hot weather, light levels, or danger.
Internal stimuli are changes to conditions inside the body, such as dangerous
food in the stomach, viruses in the body, or lack of food or water.
The human nervous system is composed of the:
1. Central Nervous System (CNS) 2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
● referred to as the “center” ● referred to as the “sidelines”
● The brain and the spinal cord ● The PNS is composed of
make up the CNS nerves, a collection of many
● The brain & spinal cord are long, thin cells called neurons,
naturally protected by bones that are connected to the
various parts of the body
● It connects everything to the
brain and spinal cord
Homeostasis is the process by which your body keeps things balanced and
stable, even when the environment around you changes. It's like your body's
way of staying in a "just right" zone.
For example:
● Body Temperature: If you get too hot, your body sweats to cool you
down. If you get too cold, you might shiver to warm up.
● Blood Sugar: After you eat, your body makes insulin to keep your blood
sugar levels from getting too high.
● Water Balance: If you don’t drink enough water, your body holds onto
water by making less urine.
In simple terms, homeostasis helps your body work properly by constantly
adjusting things like temperature, sugar levels, and water content to stay in a
healthy range.
1 Central Nervous System (CNS)
● It serves as the main processing center for the entire nervous system.
● It consists of two main components: the brain and the spinal cord.
THE BRAIN
● An organ located within the skull that functions as organizer and
distributor of information for the body
● It interprets the information it gets through your senses in order to
monitor and regulate your body
● It is responsible for thinking, learning, memory, and emotion
● More critical questions & challenges exercise your brain and help it
develop, the more occupied the better
● It has three main parts:
1. Cerebrum 2. Cerebellum 3. Brain Stem
● The large, upper ● The part under ● the part that connects
part of the brain that the cerebrum the brain to the spinal
controls activity and that controls cord and controls
thought posture, balance, automatic functions
● Functions: planning; and coordination such as breathing,
reasoning; ● Important for digestion, heart rate,
language; coordination, and blood pressure.
recognizing sounds precision and ● Regulates heart rate,
and images; timing of breathing, sleep cycles,
memory movement and emotions
THE SPINAL CORD
Serves as a channel for signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
It controls simple musculoskeletal reflexes without input from the brain.
2 Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
● It connects the central nervous system to the organs and limbs.
It has two main divisions:
1. Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
● It is associated with the voluntary control of body movements
● It has two main parts:
Spinal Nerves Cranial Nerves
● Carry motor and sensory signals ● Have nerve fibers that carry
between the spinal cord and the information into and out of the
body brain stem
2. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
● It is associated with the involuntary control of body movements.
● It has two subdivisions:
Sympathetic Nervous System Parasympathetic Nervous System
● It is activated when the body is ● maintains body functions and
under stress like increased heart restores the body to normal or
rate and breathing, dilation of relaxed mode.
pupils, and sweating.
Innervate
means to
stimulate
The Neuron
● The information carried by the nervous system travels along specialized
cells called neurons or nerve cells.
● The neuron is the basic functional unit of the nervous system.
● It carries messages or impulses to and from the different parts of the body.
PARTS OF THE NEURON:
Dendrites ● Receives messages from nearby neurons
● Carries messages TO the cell body
Axons ● The longer ends are called axons, which send messages
to the surrounding neurons or body organs
● Specialized Schwann cells wrap around the axon, forming
a myelin sheath that protects and speeds up transmission
● Carries messages AWAY from the cell body
Cell Body ● The spherical part of the neuron that contains the nucleus
(Soma) ● It connects to the dendrites and the axon
Nucleus ● An organelle located in the cell body
● It is enclosed in a nuclear membrane and contains the
majority of the cell's genetic material
● Controls other organelles
Myelin Sheath ● Part of a neuron which acts as the insulating covering
that surrounds an axon with multiple
spiral layers of myelin
● This increases the speed at which a nerve impulse can
travel along an axon.
● Prevent friction, speeds up the message/direction
● Lipids (fats) in the myelin sheath provide insulation and
enhance the speed of electrical signal transmission along
the axon of neurons
● If there's a problem with this, the travel of impulse could
be delayed or sped up
An impulse refers to an electrical signal or action potential
that travels along the axon of a neuron.
Axon ● The branched ends / nerve endings of the axon where
Terminals neurotransmitters are released to communicate with
(Synaptic target cells (other neurons, muscles, or glands) across
Terminals)
synapses
Synapse ● The terminal end of a neuron is separated from the next
neuron by a short gap known as synapse
Neurons are usually one-celled thick and can reach up to a meter long in some
parts of the body, making them the longest cells of the body.
Neurons communicate with each other using a mixture of electrical & chemical
signals. It will cross by means to another neuron through synapses. All neurons
are connected.
Neurons communicate with each other using a mixture of electrical &
chemical signals.
But what happens when the signal reaches the end of the axon?
An electrical signal is transmitted along the axon ( 1 mil signals ?)
The point where your muscles and nervous system meet is called the
neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
Signals sent from your central nervous system to the NMJ tell muscles to
move
The synapses at the NMJ use a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine
What happens as our brains mature?
● Your brain changes and adapts all the time and all through your life
● Your brain learns and forms memories by strengthening synapses
that are used a lot and weakening those that are used less often
What happens as we grow?
● Between birth and age 3, your brain makes lots of new synapses [A
toddler has 2-3 times more synapses than an adult]
● As your brain matures, it prunes synapses to make it more efficient
● During adolescence your brain has a major tidy-up and gets rid of
lots of connections it isn’t using [This is a critical and delicate
process]
● It is thought that conditions such as schizophrenia could be the
result of it going wrong
● Some evidence suggests that using drugs can disrupt this process
If you are doing the same thing again & again, it will strengthen your synapses,
that’s why it will retain in your memory (example: practicing dance)
You are weakening your synapses if you stop doing a thing / do it only once,
making it not retain in your memory
VIDEO NOTES:
Neurons communicate via electrical and chemical signals, transmitting
messages that influence thoughts and actions, adapting through repeated
activity.
● Neurons relay messages throughout the body.
● Communication involves electrical and chemical signals.
● Action potentials are rapid electrical signals.
● Synapses transform signals into chemical messages.
● Repeated activity strengthens synaptic connections.
● This process enables learning and adaptation.
● Neurons help us navigate an ever-changing world.
Your nervous system, comprising the CNS and PNS, controls everything from
voluntary movements to involuntary functions like breathing and heart rate.
● Central Nervous System (CNS): The CNS, made up of the brain and
spinal cord, governs all bodily functions.
● Signal Transmission: Signals from the body travel to the CNS and back
in milliseconds, allowing for rapid reactions.
● Voluntary vs. Involuntary: Your voluntary nervous system controls
conscious actions, while the involuntary system manages automatic
processes.
● Self-Preservation: The nervous system reacts to threats automatically,
ensuring your safety without conscious thought.
● Itching and Scratching: Scratching an itch provides relief by redirecting
the brain’s focus from one sensation to another.
● Response to Temperature: The CNS regulates body temperature,
prompting sweating or shivering to maintain homeostasis.
● Neural Connections: Repeated actions strengthen neural pathways,
making skills easier to recall and perform over time.
