Central Nervous System

Overview
The central nervous system (CNS) controls most functions of
the body and mind. It consists of two parts; the brain and the spinal
cord. The brain is the center of our thoughts, the interpreter of our
external environment, and the origin of over body movement. Like a
central computer, it interprets information from our eyes (sight),
ears (sound), nose (smell), tongue (taste), and skin (touch), as well
as from internal organs such as stomach.

The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal

cord. It is referred to as “central” because it combines information
from the entire body and coordinates activity across the whole
organism.

Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the students can be able to:

 Know what is central nervous system

 Explain the function of central nervous system

Reference

http://www.medicalnewstudy.com

Health line Media UK. Ltd, Brighton, UK

Student activity: Stretches using the Central Nervous System

Duration: 15 minutes

Lesson Proper

The Nervous system is the master controlling and

communicating system of the body. Every thought, action, and
emotion reflects its activity. Its signaling device, or means of
communicating with body cells, is electrical impulses, which are
rapid and specific and cause almost immediate responses.
 The structural classification, which includes all of the
nervous system organs, has two subdivisions-the Central Nervous
system (CNS) that consist brain and spinal cord and Periphecal
Nervous System (PNS) that consists mainly of the nerves that
extend from the brain and spinal cord.

The Central Nervous System is also divide into two major

structures. The brain and the spinal cord. The spinal cord is the
highway for communication between the body and brain. When the
spinal cord is injured the exchange of information between the brain
and other parts of the body is disrupted.

What is the function of the central nervous system and its parts?

We could not function without our central nervous system. It

controls all parts of the body. It receives and interprets messages
from all parts of the body and sends out instructions. The three
main components of the central nervous system are the brain,
spinal cord, and neurons.

How does the central nervous differ from other systems of the
body?

Most systems and organs of the body control just one

function, but the central nervous system does many jobs at the
same time. It controls all voluntary movement, such as speech and
walking, and involuntary movements, such as blinking and
breathing. It is also the core of our thoughts, perceptions, and
emotions.

Why can’t central nervous system repair itself after injury?

Many organs and tissues in the body can recover after injury
without invention. Unfortunately, some cells of the central nervous
system are so specialized that they cannot divide and create new
cells. As a result, from a brain or spinal cord injury is so much more
difficult. The complexity of the central nervous system makes the
formation of the right connections between brain and spinal cord
cells very difficult. It is a huge challenge for scientists to recreate
the central nervous system that existed the injury.

Cell of the central nervous system

Neurons connect with one another to send and receive

messages in the brain and the spinal cord. Many neurons working
together are responsible for every decision made, every emotion or
sensation felt, and every action taken. The complexity of the central
nervous system is amazing: there are approximately 100 billion
neurons in the brain and spinal cord combined. As many as 10,000
different subtypes of neurons have been identified, each neuron is
made up of a cell body, which houses the nucleus. Axons and
dendrites extensions from the cell body.

Supporting cells

Astrocytes

A kind of giant cell, are the primary support cell of the brain
and spinal cord. They make and secrete proteins called
neurotrophic factors. They also break down and remove proteins or
chemicals that might be harmful to neurons (for example,
glutamate, a neurotransmitter that in excess causes cells to
become overexcited and die by a process called excitotoxicity).
Astrocytes aren’t always beneficial: after injury, they divide to make
new cells that surround the injury site, forming a glial scar that is
barrier to regenerating axons.

Microglia

Are immune cells for the brain. After injury, they migrate to
the site of injury to help clear away dead and dying cells. They can
also produce small molecules called cytokines that trigger cells of
the immune system to respond to the injury site. This clean-up
process is likely to play an important role in recovery of function
following a spinal injury.

Oligodendrocytes

These are glia that wrap their flat extensions tightly around
the nerve fibers, producing fatty insulating coverings called Myelin
sheaths.

Ependymal cells

These are glial cells that line the central cavities of the brain
and the spinal cord; the beating of their cilia helps to circulate the
cerebrospinal fluid that fills those cavities and forms a protective
cushion around the CNS.

Schwan cells

Form the myelin sheaths around nerve fibers that are found
in the PNS

Satellite cells

Act as protective, cushioning cells

Voluntary and involuntary movement

Over one million axons travel through the spinal cord,

including the longest axons in the central nervous system. Neurons
in the motor cortex, the region of the brain that controls voluntary
movement, send their axons through the corticospinal tract to
connect with motor neurons in the spinal cord. The spinal motor
neurons project out of the cord to the correct muscles via the
ventral root. These connections control conscious movements,
such as writing and running. Information also flows in the opposite
direction resulting in involuntary movement. Sensory neurons
provide feedback to the brain via the dorsal root. Some of this
sensory information is conveyed directly to lower motor neurons
before it reaches the brain, resulting in involuntary, or reflex
movements. The remaining sensory information travels back to the
cortex.

Brain

1. The brain plays a central

role in the control of most bodily
functions, including awareness,
movements, sensations,
thoughts, speech, and memory.
Some reflex movements can
occur via spinal cord pathways
without the participation of brain
structures.

2. The human brain is the central organ or the command center

of our Nervous System. In this session, we have tried to cover the
two important parts of the brain. The CEREBRUM and
CEREBELLUM.

3. The largest part of the human brain is the cerebrum, which is

divided into 2 hemispheres. Underneath lies the brainstem and
behind that sits the cerebellum.

4. The outermost layer of cerebrum is the cerebral cortex which

is consist of four functional LOBES;
5. FRONTAL LOBE: positioned at the front of the brain, the
frontal lobe contains the majority of dopamine sensitive neurons
and is involved in personality emotions, higher thinking skills
problem solving and controlling movement.

6. PARIETAL LOBE: integrates sensory information including

touch, spatial awareness and navigation. Touch stimulation from
skin is ultimately sent to the parietal lobe. It also plays a part in
language processing.

7. TEMPORAL LOBE: hearing, reading and other senses.

8. OCCIPITAL LOBE: visual processing region of the brain,

that see shapes and colors.

You have three brains

1. Your HEAD BRAIN

2. HEART BRAIN

3. GUT BRAIN

The three brains are like an orchestra, with billions of neurons

cooperating to produce a harmonic symphony

The role of the three brains

Although the head, heart and gut brains work together, they
have obvious different physical functions and they also perform
different mental and emotional roles.

The head brain analyzes information and applies logic

The heart brain senses the world through emotion and feelings

The gut brain is used for understanding our identity and who we are
in the world. The gut brain also helps us learn self-preservation by
teaching us to follow our instinct the gut feeling we all experience at
times.

What is the Spinal Cord?

The spinal cord is a long, tube-like structure running from the

brain through the end of the spinal cord. As part of the central
nervous system, the spinal cord relays information between the
brain and the rest of the body, playing a vital role in maintaining
bodily processes. The spinal cord has four regions: cervical,
thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. Each region is responsible for
communication within a different area of the body. Therefore, the
effects of a SCI depend heavily on which region the injury occurs.

How the spinal cord and muscles work together?

In addition to the control of voluntary movement, the central

nervous system contains the sympathetic and parasympathetic
pathways that control the "fight or flight" response to danger and
regulation of bodily functions. These include hormone release,
movement of food through the stomach and intestines, and the
sensations from and muscular control to all internal organs. This
diagram illustrates these pathways and the level of the spinal cord
projecting to each organ.

What is a Spinal Cord Injury?

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord which

results in a loss of function and mobility below the level of injury.
Injuries to the spinal cord can damage the spinal nerves and nerve
cells, which will no longer carry signals between the brain and the
rest of the body. While some people with spinal cord injuries
recover significantly, most live with long-term effects.
What happens following a spinal cord injury?

A common set of biological events take place following

spinal cord injury: Cells from the immune system migrate to the
injury site, causing additional damage to some neurons and death
to others that survived the initial trauma. The death of
oligodendrocytes causes axons to lose their myelination, which
greatly impairs the conduction of action potential, messages, or
renders the remaining connections useless. The neuronal
information highway is further disrupted because many axons are
severed, cutting off the lines of communication between the brain
and muscles and between the body's sensory systems and the
brain.

Spinal Cord Injury Causes

1. The main causes of SCI are:

2. Vehicle crashes

3. Falls

4. Violence

5. Medical/Surgical

6. Sports

Spinal Cord Injury Symptoms and Complications

People with spinal cord injuries may experience the following

symptoms:

Loss of mobility

Paralysis

Loss of sensation

Muscle spasm
Sexual dysfunction

Loss of bowel and bladder control

Digestive problems

Respiratory problems

Severe pressure or pain in the head, neck, or back

Pressure sores

Abnormal lumps on the head or spine

Abnormal positioning of the neck or back

Burning sensation

Numbness or tingling

Changes in heart rate or blood pressure

Incomplete Injuries: some sensation or function below the level of

the injury

Complete Injuries: no sensation or function on both sides of the

body, below the level of the injury.

Spinal Cord Injury Levels and Functions

1. We can characterize SCI in the following ways:

2. Is the injury complete or incomplete?

Which parts of the body are functioning?

1. Quadriplegia: the most severe form of SCI, resulting in loss
of sensation or function in all limbs

2. Paraplegia: loss of sensation or function in the lower half of

the body

3. Triplegia : loss of sensation or function in one arm and both

legs, usually as a result of an incomplete SCI

Where in the spinal column is the level of the injury?

1. Cervical SCI (C1-C7)

2. The most severe injury type

3. Results in quadriplegia

4. Potential loss of sexual function, bladder and bowel control,

respiratory function, sensation, and body temperature regulation

5. Thoracic SCI (T1-T12)

6. Results in paraplegia

7. Potential loss of sexual function, bladder and bowel control,

and core strength

8. Lumbar SCI (L1-L5)

9. Results in paraplegia

10. Potential loss of sexual function, bladder, and bowel control

11. Sacral SCI (S1-S5)

12. May result in a loss of sexual function, bladder, and bowel
control, as well as leg and hip function.

Assessment/Evaluation
Directions: Select the correct answer from the given choices.
1. What part of the brain responsible for coordinating all your
movement?
a. Cerebrum
b. Cerebellum
c. Brain stem
d. Crainial nerves
2. Does entire nervous system is divided into two main regions:
The______?
a. Brain and the spinal cord
b. CNS and PNS
c. Neurons and glial cells
d. Motor neutrons and the sensory neurons
3. What nervous tissue outside the brain and spinal cord is?
a. Peripheral
b. Autonomic
c. Somatic
d. Central
4. Is a part of the brain that controls important cognitive skills in
human. Which part of the brain controls higher mental activities like
reasoning?
a. Medulla Oblongata
b. Temporal lobe
c. Cerebellum
d. Frontal lobe
5. What is NOT areas of the cerebrum?
a. Sensory signal receiving areas
b. Heart rate and breathing rate and control areas
c. Logic and language areas
d. Motor signal generating areas
6. Is the area of the brain responsible for conscious thought,
intellect, memory storage and processing, controlling the movement
of skeletal muscles, and sensation is the?
a. Thalamus
b. Cerebellum
c. Medulla oblongata
d. Cerebrum
7. Are the emotions, regulations of sleep, wakefulness, sexual
arousal, thirst, hunger, body temperature, and the productions of
certain hormones are all the functions of what structure of the
brain?
a. Cerebrum
b. Thalamus
c. Cerebellum
d. Medulla oblongata
8. What area of brain is a routing center for incoming sense signals
a. Cerebellum
b. Brain stem
c. Thalamus
d. Spinal cord
9. Where region of the CNS that contains the vital centers for
regulating breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure is the?
a. Thalamus
b. Cerebellum
c. Medulla oblongata
d. Cerebrum
10. Is the term nervous system refers to the:

a. Brain and spinal cord

b. Autonomic and peripheral nervous system
c. Brain, signal cord, and cranial nerves
d. Brain and cranial nerves
11. Where of these cells are not a type of neuroglia found in the
CNS?
a. Microglia
b. Schwann cells
c. Ependymal cells
d. Oligodendrocytes
12. What Lobe that contains the primary motor area that enables
voluntary control of skeletal muscle movements?
a. Frontal lobe
b. Temporal lobe
c. Occipital lobe
d. Parietal lobe
13. Where is the vital centers for the control of visceral activities
such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, swallowing, and
vomiting are located in the?
a. Pons
b. Medulla oblongata
c. Midbrain
d. Cerebrum
14. What part of the brain responsible for unconscious bodily
functions is?
a. Cerebrum
b. Cerebellum
c. Brain stem
d. Crainial nerves
15. Where the brain is protected by?
a. the meninges
b. a cushion of fluid
c. the bony skull
d. all the above.
16. Is the boss of your body and controls everything you do?
a. Heart
b. Brain
C. Spinal cord
d. all the above
17. Is the nervous system is made up of the?
a. Brain, spinal cord and nerves
b. Brain, spinal cord and heart
c. Brain and spinal cord
d. spinal cord and spinal nerves
18. how much does the average brain weight in pounds?
a. about 3 pounds.
b. about 7 pounds.
c. about 9 pounds.
d. about 4 pounds.
19. What kinds of things are your brain and nervous system in
charge of?
a. walking, running, and thinking
b. talking, feeling, and sleeping
c. breathing and growing
d. All the above
20. How many nerves are in your body to send messages to brain
and back?
a. hundreds
b. millions
c. billions
d. none of the above

21. What lobe of your brains regulates vision?

a. Temporal lobe
b. Parietal lobe
c. Occipital lobe
d. Frontal lobe
22. What part of the brain is (A)?
a. Cerebrum
b. Diencephalon
c. Medulla oblongata
d. Cerebellum
23. What part of the brain is (B)?
a. Cerebrum
b. Diencephalon
c. Medulla oblongata
d. Cerebellum
24. What part of the brain is (C)?
a. Cerebrum
b. Diencephalon
c. Medulla oblongata
d. Cerebellum
25. What part of the brain is (D)?
a. Cerebrum
b. Diencephalon
c. Cerebellum
d. Medulla Oblongata

26. What part of functional lobes is (A)?

a. Frontal Lobes
b. Pariental Lobes
c. Temporal Lobes
d. Occipital Lobes

27. What part of functional lobes is (B)?

a. Frontal Lobes
b. Temporal Lobes
c. Parietal Lobes
d. Occipital Lobes
28. What part of functional lobes is (C)?
a. Frontal Lobes
b. Pariental Lobes
c. Temporal Lobes
d. Occipital Lobes
29. What part of functional lobes is (D)?
a. Occipital Lobes

b. Pariental Lobes

c. Temporal Lobes

d. Frontal Lobes
30. Which part of the brain is involved in these functions?

 Conscious thought process and intellectual functions

 Memory storage and processing
 Conscious and subconscious regulation of skeletal muscle
contractions

a. Brainstem

b. Cerebellum

c. Cerebrum

d. Medulla oblongata
Quiz 1

Directions: Explain the following questions

1. What part of your body is considered the main control station

and why? 5pts
2. Name two parts of the brain and two of its functions. 10pts
3. Why can’t the brain be located somewhere else in the brain?
10pts

Assignment

In ½ illustration make a poster making of parts of the brain and

clearly label the parts and list their functions. 20pts
Answers key

1. B
2. B
3. A
4. D
5. B
6. D
7. B
8. C
9. C
10. A
11. B
12. A
13. B
14. C
15. C
16. B
17. C
18. A
19. D
20. C
21. C
22. A
23. B
24. C
25. C
26. A
27. C
28. C
29. A
30. C