Dean r berry nervous system revised 6 6-18
- 1. Illustrated and Animated The Nervous system By Dean Berry, Ed. D. The Teachers’ Choice Library
- 2. • Free PowerPoint at • Slideshare.com • Type PPT title or dean r berry
- 3. Which body system enables us to experience the environment around us, use our thinking processes to make decisions, and take necessary action? Can you explain how each one of these skills works in the human body? As we read, we will uncover the answer to these questions.
- 4. The nervous system is composed of the brain, the spinal cord, and the peripheral nerves that are spread throughout the body. How do you know if someone is pinching you if you are looking the other direction?
- 5. The brain is the master organ of the nervous system. All of the body systems and organs are under its control. Even the slightest injury to the brain can result in mental or physical malfunction. What is a concussion? How serious are some concussions?
- 6. As humans evolved, their brains became significantly larger than chimpanzees and gorillas. The outer cerebral cortex became much thicker in order to support a much more sophisticated thinking process. Our brain is divided into hemispheres. How many hemispheres do you think the has?
- 7. Our brain is divided into two hemispheres, the left and the right hemisphere. While both hemispheres perform similar functions, the left tends to perform more language processing skills and the right tends to involve more creative thinking. Are any of you good at art or music? Who speaks more than one language?
- 8. While it does require both hemispheres of the brain, music and art ability tends to involve more of the right side of the brain.
- 9. A large bundle of nerves, the corpus callosum, connects the two hemispheres of the brain. These neural strands enable all parts of the brain to work in unison.
- 10. The brain is divided into three main sections: the cerebrum(yellow), the cerebellum(purple), and the medulla, which is also known as the brain stem(red). The newest part of the brain is the top inch of the cortex which is part of the cerebrum. The oldest part of the brain is the medulla. Which part of the brain do you think would contain the most advanced thinking skills?
- 11. Buried deep within the cerebrum is the limbic system which controls the emotions and memory functions. The frontal lobe processes logical thought and is not fully developed until around age twenty three. Because of this, teenagers tend to suppress danger and engage in risky behaviors. Do you know any teenagers that confront danger like they only have half a brain?
- 12. The many parts of the brain include the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, cerebellum,and brain stem. They all have very different functions. Watch this GIF and discuss the functions of the different parts of the brain.
- 13. The frontal cortex also contains the part of the brain that uses neurotransmitters such as dopamine which plays a role in mate attraction. Have you ever felt this part of the brain activated when you were attracted to someone?
- 14. The five sense organs are located in the brain and stimulate the brain when they are activated. Can you name the five senses?
- 15. The brain processes sensory information that our body receives through our visual, auditory, tactile, taste, and smell organs.
- 16. The spinal cord is a nervous system organ that enables messages to be transmitted both directions from the brain and to the brain from the rest of the body. The cord is about as thick as a thumb and 27 to 28 inches long. It is secured inside the spinal column. What might happen if the spinal cord is severed?
- 17. The serious action that occurs in the brain takes place in the neurons. Examine these pictures. What are neurons?
- 18. The neurons consist of a cell body with a nucleus and cytoplasm, dendrites that carry electrical impulses to the cell, and a long axon that carries the impulses away from the cell. The axon of one neuron and the dendrites of the next neuron do not actually touch.
- 19. Generation of a nerve impulse(action potential) of a sensory neuron occurs as a result of a stimulus such as a light, a particular chemical, or stretching of a cell membrane by sound. Conduction of an impulse along a neuron occurs from the dendrites to the cell body to the axon.
- 20. The neurons have a gap between them that is called the synapse. Transmission of a signal to another neuron across a synapse occurs via a chemical transmitter.
- 21. These chemical messengers that carry information from one neuron to another are called neurotransmitters. The most important chemicals in the brain are serotonin, endorphins,oxytocin, and dopamine.
- 22. These four neurotransmitters have a significant impact on how we feel and behave. Dopamine is the natural feel good hormone in the brain. Endorphinsare often referred to as the runner’s high. Oxytocin is the attraction hormone. In fact, it is activated in childbirth and stimulates a mother’s special love for the new born child. Serotonin levels can play a role in mental illness.
- 23. Neurotransmitters are critical for proper brain functioning. Some people take medications to better balance the levels of neurotransmitters so they can function properly and feel better.
- 24. The nerve cells that comprise the peripheral nervous system run from our skin and tissue to the spinal cord and carry messages from our extremities to the spinal cord and up to the brain. These nerve cells can be up to three feet long from the legs to the midriff. Have you ever scratched an itch in one area and felt a sensation somewhere else in the body? It’s probably the same nerve that is responding to the stimulus.
- 25. When we take a closer look at why our brain may not function properly, we can examine illnesses or trauma to the brain that result in confusion, memory loss, or problems with physical movement and coordination.
- 26. The human brain can experience the loss of healthy brain cells usually referred to as dementia. This umbrella term includes Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, and a few more rare dementias.
- 27. Scientists believe that both genetic and environmental factors can determine a person’s risk for developing dementia. They suspect that life style, such as exercise, diet, and intellectual activities, probably plays a significant role in the development of dementia.
- 28. Scans of the brain reveal the structural damage that is incurred with different types of dementia. An amyloid plaque accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and contribute to their cognitive decline.
- 29. Symptoms that accompany the onset of Alzheimer’s disease may include memory loss, slower movements, poor balance and coordination, abnormal eye movements, tremors, and flawed speech patterns.
- 30. A person with Alzheimer’s disease generally displays a build up of unwanted protein that is deposited on parts of the brain and results in a loss of brain cells and an altered amount of brain chemicals.
- 31. Multiple sclerosis is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord. In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath(myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.
- 32. During the course of the disease, MS destroys the myelin sheath that protects the nerves. Symptoms vary greatly depending on the severity of the disease. Some people lose the ability to walk, while others go into remission. What does remission mean?
- 33. ALS is another serious disease of the nervous system. Sense it attacks only the motor neurons, the senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell remain unaffected. Victims of ALS generally survive three to five years.
- 34. Huntington’s disease is an inherited condition where there is a progressive degeneration of the neurons in the brain. Can you unpack this sentence and explain what it means?
- 35. Huntington is a genetically transmitted disease. Early symptoms may include slight changes to coordination, uncontrollable fidgeting, stiffness, trouble thinking and depression. Eventually, walking and speaking are not possible.
- 36. Although there is no cure for Huntington’s disease, selected drugs and physical therapy can help with some of the symptoms. Over a period of ten to twenty years, the disease affects the body, mind, and emotions.
- 37. People of all ages need to take precautions to protect their brains. Any impact to the head from sports or falls can create serious loss of brain function. What is a concussion? What affect can it have on our bodies?
- 38. Group Discussion Meet in groups and discuss the following. • 1. What are the major components of the nervous system and how do they work? • 2. Trace a stimulus from the finger to the brain. Describe the route that neurons would take. • 3. Describe some of the most serious diseases of the nervous system.
- 39. Prepare to Write Write an explanative essay describing how the nervous system works and how some diseases can affect its proper functioning.
- 40. Human Brain: Structures and Functions Excellent 5 mi9n • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeE7Fpg 061I
- 41. Parts of the Brain 6 min • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdJ5eq6i NPA
- 42. What is a Neuron? 5 min Good • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDpydfp Eads
- 43. How Do Nerves Work? 5 min • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU_4uA6 -zcE
- 44. Neurons and Functions 4 min • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUGuWh 2UeMk
- 45. The Human Body National Geographic Good Overview 5 min • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae4Mad KPJC0
- 46. The Brain -National Geographic Excellent 5 min • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRFXSjkp KWA
- 47. How the Nervous System Works Rap 3 min • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uG0AEn oLDU
- 48. How Does Your Brain Respond to Pain? Ted Ed 6 min • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7wfDenj 6CQ