The nervous system

The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, sensory organs, and all of the nerves that connect these organs with the rest of the body. These organs are responsible for the control of the body and communication among its parts.

The brain is a soft convoluted mass of nervous tissue within the skull that is the controlling and coordinating centre of the nervous system and the seat of thought, memory, and emotion. The brain is also known as encephalon.It includes the cerebrum, the brainstem, the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex.

The cerebrum denotes the right and left brain hemispheres. Each hemisphere contains four lobes (frontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal) that are responsible for memory, vision, hearing, and speaking.The brainstem is connected to the spinal cord at the back of the brain. The cerebellum means "little brain" in Latin, and it controls motor activity and helps a person maintain posture and balance.The cerebral cortex is tissue that covers the cerebrum and is responsible for intellectual brain functions such as thinking, planning and overall behavior.

Approximately 100 billion neurons of the brain form the main control center of the body. Neurons are also known as nerve cells. Scientists have determined that each cell is connected to the other by nerve fibers. Numerous investigations have shown that nerve cells are the most delicate cells of the human body.

The spinal cord is a long, thin mass of neurons that carries information through the vertebral cavity of the spine. The spinal cord contains the white and grey matter.

The brain and the spinal cord form the control center known as the central nervous system (CNS), where information is evaluated and decisions are made.

The sensory nerves and sense organs of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) monitor conditions inside and outside of the body and send this information to the CNS.

Nerves act as information highways to carry signals between the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body.

The nervous system has 3 main functions: sensory, integration, and motor.

The sensory function of the nervous system involves collecting information from sensory receptors. These signals are then passed to the central nervous system.

The process of integration is the processing of many sensory signals that are passed into the CNS at any time. Integration takes place in the grey matter of the brain and spinal cord.

Motor neurons carry signals from the grey matter of the CNS through the nerves of the peripheral nervous system to smooth, cardiac, or skeletal muscular tissue or glandular tissue and move a part of the body to respond to the stimulus.

Exercise 7. Answer the questions:

1. What parts is the nervous system composed of?

2. What does the brain consist of?

3. What does the abbreviation CNS mean?

4. What organs does CNS consist of?

5. Which part of the nervous system do the sensory nerves and sense organs compose?

6. How are the nervous cells called?

7. What is the spinal cord?

8. What is the function of the nerves?

9. What are the functions of the nervous system?

Exercise 8. Match the words to their definitions:

1. brain 2. spinal cord 3. neuron 4. brainstem 5. sensory receptor 6. cerebrum 7. cerebellum 8. nerve

a) a bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory and motor information from one body part to another b) specialized neurons or nerve endings that respond to changes in the environment c) a part of the brain located in the posterior cranial fossa (черепна ямка) behind the brainstem. d) the stemlike part of the brain that connects the cerebral hemispheres with the spinal cord. e) a nerve cell that receives and sends electrical signals over long distances within the body f) the portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It functions as a primary receiver, organizer, and distributor of information for the body. g) it is the largest part of the brain that constitutes the forebrain and is located on top of the brainstem and is considered the most developed part of the brain. h) It is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue that extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column.

Exercise 9. What organs and parts of the body do the adjectives below refer to? Make up sentences with them on your own:

Model: cardiac – heart.

The heart pumps blood through the vessels.

Cranial – Spinal – Vertebral –

Cervical – Thoracic – Nervous –

Facial – Costal – Oral –

Vascular –

Exercise 10. Translate into English:

Головний та спинний мозок, центральна нервова система, периферична нервова система, органи чуття, нервова клітина, чутливі рецептори, знаходитися всередині черепної порожнини, сіра і біла речовина головного та спинного мозку, шляхи інформації між мозком та рештою організму, обробка чуттєвих сигналів; гладка, сердечна та скелетна мускулатура; реагувати на подразники.

Exercise 11. Translate the words given in italics into English:

1. All organs of the CNS відповідають за the control of the body and зв'язок між його частинами.

2. The brain is a м’яка заплутана масаof nervous tissue within the skull of хребетних.

3. The spinal cord is a long thin mass of neurons that переносить інформацію через спинномозкову порожнинуof the spine.

4. The sensory function of the nervous system involves збір інформації від сенсорних рецепторів.

5. The process of integration is the обробка багатьох сенсорних сигналів that are passed into the CNS at any time.

6.Рухові нейрониcarry signals from the grey matter of the CNS through the nerves of the peripheral nervous system to гладкої, серцевої або скелетної м'язової тканини.

7. Мозочокis a region of the brain that plays an important role in motor controland may also be involved in some cognitive functions such as attention and language.

8. Nerve cells,that are найчутливіші клітини in the human body,are designed to transmit messages throughout the body.