NERVOUS CONTROL AND COORDINATION
INTRODUCTION
The nervous system is the
body’s fast communication
system.
It allows the brain to send and
receive signals from all parts of
the body, controlling everything
from simple reflexes to
complex movements.
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
The nervous system is made up of the
brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
It controls and coordinates actions by
sending electrical signals throughout
the body.
It has two main parts: the central
nervous system (CNS), which
includes the brain and spinal cord,
and the peripheral nervous system
(PNS), which is made up of nerves that
connect the CNS to the rest of the
body.
NEURONES
Neurones are special cells in the
nervous system that send and
receive messages.
These messages are tiny electrical
signals.
Neurones pass these signals to each
other to keep the body working.
When one neurone sends a signal, it
travels along the neurone until it
reaches a small gap between two
neurones called a synapse.
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
When one neurone sends a signal,
it travels along the neurone until it
reaches a small gap between two
neurones called a synapse.
At the synapse, chemicals called
neurotransmitters help carry the
signal across to the next neurone.
This is how the brain and the rest
of the body communicate to
control actions like movement and
senses.
VOLUNTARY ACTIONS
Voluntary actions are movements that
you control, like walking or picking up
an object.
These actions are processed by the
brain.
The brain sends signals to muscles
through the spinal cord and nerves,
telling them when to contract and
move.
This system allows you to perform
complex tasks by thinking about them
first.
REFLEX ACTIONS
A reflex action is a quick,
automatic response to a stimulus.
For example, when you touch
something hot, your hand pulls
away without you even thinking
about it. We call this involuntary.
Reflexes are controlled by the
spinal cord, which processes the
information quickly without
involving the brain. and helps to
protect the body from harm.
SENSORY AND MOTOR NEURONES
The nervous system relies on sensory
neurones and motor neurones.
Sensory neurones send information
from the body (like touch, temperature,
and pain) to the brain.
Motor neurones carry instructions from
the brain to muscles, telling them how
to respond.
Together, sensory and motor neurones
allow the body to react to the
environment.
GLOSSARY
Central Nervous System (CNS): The brain and spinal cord, which control most bodily
functions.
Motor neurones: Nerve cells that carry signals from the brain to muscles, causing movement.
Neurones: Nerve cells that transmit electrical signals throughout the body.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): The network of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord
that connects the CNS to the rest of the body.
Reflex Action: A fast, automatic response to a stimulus, processed by the spinal cord.
Sensory Neurones: Nerve cells that carry information from the body to the brain, like touch
and pain.
Synapse: The gap between two neurones where chemical signals are passed to continue the
electrical impulse.
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