Anatomy and Physiology I

Chapter 12
Nervous Tissue

2 Divisions
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System

(PNS)
Everything else
Composed of nerves and ganglia
Nerves- carry signals to and from
CNS
Ganglia- swelling in nerve

PNS
Sensory Division (afferent)
Signals from receptors to CNS
Informs CNS of stimuli
Somatic sensory- signals
from skin, muscle, bones,
joints
Visceral sensory- signals from viscera

PNS
Motor Division (efferent)
Signals from CNS to glands or
Effectors

muscles

Somatic motor- signals to skeletal muscles

voluntary cx and reflexes

Autonomic (visceral) motor- signals to glands,

cardiac and smooth muscle
Involuntary actions
2 divisions

PNS
Autonomic Motor Division
Sympathetic
Arouse body for action

Parasympathetic
Calming effect

Nervous System
Electrical and chemical
3 steps
Sensory
Receives info about environment
Transmits to CNS

CNS processes
Determine response

Commands issued
Muscles, glands

Properties of Neurons
Excitability
Respond to stimuli

Conductivity
Produce electrical signals

Secretion
Neurotransmitter

Neuron Classes

Sensory (afferent) Neurons

Detect stimuli
Transmits info to CNS

Interneurons
Entirely within CNS
Receive signals, integrate
signals, determine
reaction
90%

Motor (efferent) Neurons

Signals to muscles or glands
Carry out response to stimuli (effectors)

Neuron Structure

Soma- control center (cell body)

Central nucleus
Nissl bodies

Dendrites- receive signals from other

neurons
Axon hillock- axon originates (mound)
Axon- rapid conduction of nerve signals
Away from soma
Nodes of Ranvier in myelinated fibers
neurilemma

Synaptic knob- swelling that forms a

junction
At end of axon
Synaptic vesicles- neurotransmitters

Neuroglia
Supportive cells
Protect and help function
6 types of neuroglia
Oligodendrocytes
Ependymal cells
Microglia
Astrocytes
Schwann cells
Satellite cells

Oligodendrocytes
Form myelin in CNS
Arm-like processes
Spirals around nerve fiber
Myelin sheath- insulates nerve fiber

Ependymal Cells
Lines cavities of CNS
Produce and circulates CSF
Cilia

Microglia
Phagocytize and destroy
Wander through CNS
Multiple times a day

Concentrated in areas of infection,

trauma, stroke

Astrocytes

Most abundant- 90%

Found everywhere in CNS
Supportive framework
Blood-brain-barrier
Nourish neurons
Promote neuron growth
Communicate with neurons
Absorb excess neurotransmitters
Form scar tissue

Schwann Cells

Only PNS
Envelop nerve fibers
Myelin sheath
Regeneration of damaged fibers

Satellite Cells

Only PNS
Surround somas
Electrical insulation
Regulate chemical environment

Myelin
Myelin sheath- insulating layer around
nerve fiber
Oligodendrocytes- CNS
Schwann cells- PNS

Myelination- production
Dietary fat important

Myelin sheath is segmented

Nodes of Ranvier- gaps in myelin sheath
Speeds signal conduction

Conduction
Speed of conduction
Fiber diameter
Presence or absence of myelin
Large fibers- fast
More surface area

Myelin- fast (skeletal muscles, sensory

signals)
Unmyelinated- slow (secrete stomach
acid, pupil dilation)

Nerve Fiber Regeneration

PNS- soma must be intact
1. normal nerve fiber
2. local trauma
Fiber distal to injury cant survive
Macrophages clean up

3. Soma swells
Axon sprouts growth processes

Nerve Fiber Regeneration

4. Schwann cells form
regeneration tube
5. Regeneration tube
guides growing sprout to
target cell
6. Reestablishes synapse
Soma shrinks

Not perfect
Functional deficit post-injury

Electrical Potentials
Difference in the concentration of
charged particles b/t one point and
another
Produce current- flow of charged
particles

RMP- charged difference across PM

Unstimulated neuron

RMP
Electrolytes distributed unequally b/t
ICF and ECF
3 factors
Concentration gradient
Selective permeability
Electrical attraction

NaK Pump- 70% of energy requirement

Pumps 3 Na out for every 2 K it brings in
equilibrium

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Action Potentials
Rapid up and down shift in
membrane voltage
Resting neuron- polarized
1. Sodium enters cell
Depolarization of the membrane

2. Must meet the threshold

Minimum needed to open gates

3. Neuron produces action

potential
Further depolarizes membrane

Action Potentials
4. Voltage peaks
Positive inside
Negative outside

5. Potassium leaves cell and

repolarization occurs
6. Potassium gates stay open
longer
Membrane potential drops
slightly more negative than
original RMP- hyperpolarization

Action Potential

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Action Potential
All-or-None Law
If threshold reached- neuron fires at max voltage
If threshold not reached- neuron doesnt fire
Stronger stimulus does not produce stronger
action potentials

Nondecremental
Do not get weaker with distance

Irreversible
Threshold reached- action potential completes
Cant be stopped

Refractory Period
Period of resistance to
restimulation
Impossible or difficult to stimulate
same region

Absolute
No stimulus will trigger new action
potential
Lasts from start of AP until
membrane returns to resting
potential

Relative
Unusually strong stimulus will
trigger potential
Lasts until hyperpolarization ends

Please note that due to differing

operating systems, some
animations will not appear until
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Signal Conduction
Unmyelinated fibers
Voltage-regulated gates along entire
length
Action potentials triggers new action
potential distally
Continues until reaches axon end
Stimulates next one
Cant go backwards

Slower
Nondecremental

Signal Conduction
Myelinated fibers
Voltage-regulated gates are
scarce
Conduction is decremental
Recharges at nodes of Ranvier
Creates new
action potential

Saltatory Conductionpropagation of nerve signal

that jumps from node to node
Fast

Synapses
Presynaptic neuron- releases
neurotransmitter
Postsynaptic neuron- responds to
neurotransmitter
Synaptic cleft- gap b/t neurons

Neurotransmitters
1. Synthesized by presynaptic neuron
2. Released in response to stimulation
3. Bind to specific receptors on
postsynaptic cell
4. Alter physiology of that cell

Excitatory/ Inhibitory

Excitatory Cholinergic Synapse

Acetylcholine (ACh)
1. nerve signal arrives at synaptic
knob
Opens Ca gates

2. Ca enter knob- triggers vesicles

Ach released

3. Ach diffuses across synaptic cleft

Bind to gates on postsynaptic neuron
Gates open: Na enter, K leave

4. Na enters cell, depolarizes it,

triggers postsynaptic potential

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT3VKAr4roo&NR=1

Cessation of Signal
Turn off stimulus
Prevents postsynaptic cell from firing
indefinitely
1. Stop new neurotransmitters
Cessation of signal

2. Get rid of old

Diffusion- astrocytes absorb
Reuptake- synaptic knob reabsorbs, breaks
down
Degradation in synaptic cleft- AChE breaks
down
ACh

Neural Integration
Ability of neurons to process
information, store and recall it, and
make decisions
Based on postsynaptic potentials
Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)voltage change that makes neuron more
likely to fire
Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)makes neuron less likely to fire
Summation- process of adding up
postsynaptic potentials and responding

Postsynaptic Potentials
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mV

20

40
Threshold
EPSP Resting membrane
potential

60

Repolarization

80
(a)

Depolarization
Stimulus

Time

mV

20

40
Threshold
60
IPSP

Resting membrane
potential

80
Hyperpolarization
(b)

Stimulus

Time

Figure 12.24
12-41

Summation
Temporal summation
ESPSs generated so quickly that a new one is
generated before the old one fades

Spatial summation
EPSPs from several synapses add up to threshold

Summation of EPSPs
+40
+20

mV

0
Action potential
20
Threshold

40
60

80

EPSPs
Resting
membrane
potential

Stimuli
Time

Memory
Physical basis of memory
Memory trace- pathway through the
brain
Synapses formed to make transmission
easier
Added, taken away, modified

3 kinds
Immediate memory
Short-term memory
Long- term memory

Immediate Memory
Few seconds
Flow of events and sense of present
Read

Short-term Memory
Few seconds to few hours
Quickly forgotten if stop mentally
reciting it, distracted, or new

Long-term Memory
Lifetime
Declarative memory- retention of
events and facts
Procedural memory- retention of
motor skills