2. Organisation of the Nervous System

  • Divided into the Central Nervous System (CNS) — brain and spinal cord — and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) — all nerves and ganglia outside the CNS.
  • Basic functions: sensation (detecting stimuli), transduction (converting stimuli to impulses), integration (processing/comparing information), and response (generating an appropriate action).
  • Voluntary responses are controlled by the somatic nervous system; involuntary responses by the autonomic nervous system.

Glial Cells (Neuroglia)

Six types support neurons — four in the CNS, two in the PNS:

CNS Glia

PNS Glia

Basic Function

Astrocyte

Satellite cell

Support; controls chemical environment

Oligodendrocyte

Schwann cell

Insulation / myelination

Microglia

—

Immune surveillance, phagocytosis

Ependymal cell

—

Produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

 

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