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Boundless Anatomy and Physiology
Physiology Textbooks Boundless Anatomy and Physiology
Physiology Textbooks
Physiology

Chapter 10

Overview of the Nervous System

Book Version 29
By Boundless
Boundless Anatomy and Physiology
Physiology
by Boundless
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Section 1
Introduction to the Nervous System
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Organization of the Nervous System

The nervous system is a network of cells called neurons that coordinate actions and transmit signals between different parts of the body.

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Functions of the Nervous System

The primary function of the nervous system is to coordinate and control the various functions of our body.

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Subdivisions of the Nervous System

The CNS includes the brain and spinal cord, while the PNS is a network of nerves linking the body to the brain and spinal cord.

Section 2
Neuroglia
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Neuroglia of the Central Nervous System

Glia (named from the Greek for "glue") helps in supporting and scaffolding neurons, while performing  many unique functions.

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Neuroglia of the Peripheral Nervous System

The two kinds of glia cells in the PNS, schwann cells and satellite cells, each have unique functions. 

Section 3
Neurons
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Structural Diversity of Neurons

A number of anatomically neuron types have evolved to participate in different organismal functions.

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Classification of Neurons

Neurons can be classified by direction of travel, neurotransmitter utilized, or their electrophysiological properties.

Section 4
Collections of Nervous Tissue
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Clusters of Neuronal Cell Bodies

A nucleus can either by a relatively compact collection of neurons or a distinctly identifiable group of neurons spread over a large area.

Axon Bundles

A bundle of axons is called a nerve in the peripheral nervous system and a tract in the central nervous system.

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Grey and White Matter

The basic pattern of the CNS is a central cavity surrounded by gray matter made up of neuronal cell bodies external to which is the white matter which is made up of myelinated axons. 

Section 5
Neurophysiology
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Principles of Electricity

When a neuron is stimulated, an electrical impulse is generated and conducted along the length of its axon. This process, called action potential, underlies many nervous system functions.

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Ion Channels

Ion channels are membrane proteins that allow ions to travel into or out of a cell.

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Resting Membrane Potentials

The potential difference in a resting neuron is called the resting membrane potential. 

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Membrane Potentials as Signals

The membrane potential allows a cell to function as a battery, providing electrical power to activities within the cell and between cells.

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The Action Potential and Propagation

Neurons typically send signals over long distances by generating and propagating action potentials over excitable axonal membrane.

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The Synapse

A synapse is a structural junction that mediates information transfer from one neuron to the next or from one neuron to an effector cell as in muscle or gland. 

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Postsynaptic Potentials and Their Integration at the Synapse

Postsynaptic potentials are excitatory or inhibitory changes in the graded membrane potential in the postsynaptic terminal of a chemical synapse.  

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Synaptic Transmission

Synaptic transmission is a chemical event which is involved in the transmission of the impulse via release, diffusion, receptor binding of neurotransmitter molecules and unidirectional communication between neurons. 

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Types of Neurotransmitters by Function

Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse.

Ionotropic and Metabotropic Receptors

Although both ionotropic and metabotropic receptors are activated by neurotransmitters, ionotropic receptors are channel-linked while metabotropic receptors initiate a cascade of molecules via G-proteins. 

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Serial and Parallel Processing

Serial memory processing compares a memory to a target stimulus, while parallel processing carries out multiple operations simultaneously.

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Chapter 10
Overview of the Nervous System
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