InterActive Medical Terminology

Based on the best selling text: An Introduction to Medical Terminology for Health Care (Fifth edition) by A.R.Hutton published by Elsevier Ltd

Unit 8: The Nervous System

The interactive learning material in this unit is arranged into four sections. Click on a section and scroll down the page completing the exercises in the sequence they are presented:

• Section 1: Introduction
• Section 2: The Nervous System
• Section 3: The Brain
• Section 4: The Spinal Cord
• Section 5: Psychiatry
• Section 6: Self-assessment



Note: FlashCards for revision of this unit are at the end of Section 5.

A short list of abbreviations, pathological conditions, clinical procedures and laboratory tests associated with the nervous system is available from the:Word Check.

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Section 1: Introduction

Humans have a complex nervous system that is large in proportion to their body size. The brain and spinal cord contain vast numbers of cells each of which may have thousands of connections to other nerve cells. The system performs three basic functions:

• It receives, stores and analyses information from sense organs making us aware of our environment. This enables us to think and make responses that will aid our survival in adverse circumstances

• It controls our muscles enabling us to move and speak


• It controls the all physiological activities within the body.


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Continue to Section 2:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Section 2: The Nervous System

First look at Anatomy Exercise 1 that shows the position of the central and peripheral nervous systems:

Anatomy Exercise 1


 


The central and peripheral systems are composed of specialized cells called neurons. These cells are elongated for the transmission of nerve impulses from one part of the body to another. Each neuron consists of a cell 'body' plus long extensions known as dendrites or dendrons and axons. Axons conduct impulses away from the cell 'body' whilst dendrites conduct impulses towards the cell 'body'. A nerve fiber is a general term for any process, dendrite or axon projecting from a cell 'body'. 

There are three basic types of neuron based on their function:

• The sensory neuron transmits nerve impulses from sense organs to the CNS

• The motor neuron transmits nerve impulses away from the CNS to muscles and glands

• The interneuron transmits nerve impulses from sensory neurons to motor neurons or to other interneurons