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The nervous and endocrine systems link and coordinate the other organs so
that all parts of the body act as a whole.
The receptors are the structures in charge of receiving the stimuli. They are
located throughout the body and can be both internal and external. The
receptors are highly specialised to detect various types of stimuli, including light
(sight), sound (hearing), and heat (skin), among others [see].
External receptors detect environmental stimuli and are located in the sense
organs [see].
On the other hand, internal receptors are distributed throughout the body and
respond to changes within it, for example, variations in blood pressure.
The locomotor system (muscles and bones), on the other hand, performs the
responses involving movement, while the endocrine system performs those
affecting the secretion of some chemical substance, such as hormones.
Los sistemas nervioso y endocrino unen y coordinan los otros órganos para
que todas las partes del cuerpo actúen como un todo.
Los receptores son las estructuras encargadas de recibir los estímulos. Están
ubicados en todo el cuerpo y pueden ser tanto internos como externos. Los
receptores están altamente especializados para detectar varios tipos de
estímulos, incluidos la luz (vista), el sonido (oído) y el calor (piel), entre otros
Por otro lado, los receptores internos se distribuyen por todo el cuerpo y
responden a cambios dentro de él, por ejemplo, variaciones en la presión
arterial.
The nervous system is one of the most important, since it is responsible for
regulating the functioning of the other systems. It is composed of neurones,
highly specialised cells allowing the transmission of nerve impulses quickly.
Although the nervous system is very complex, its functioning basically consists
of receiving stimuli and generating responses.
El sistema nervioso es uno de los más importantes, ya que es el encargado de
regular el funcionamiento de los demás sistemas. Está compuesto por
neuronas, células altamente especializadas que permiten la transmisión de
impulsos nerviosos de forma rápida.
There are different types and shapes of neurones, but they all consist of the
same parts:
The cell body or soma: the part of the cell containing the nucleus and most of
the cytoplasm.The dendrites: the extensions of the soma. They are highly
branched in order to contact many other neurones at once. They have the
mission of receiving the nerve impulse from other neurones, although
sometimes the impulse can also be received by the soma or the axon of the
neuron.The axon: the cylindrical extension arising from the soma. It transmits
the nerve impulse and has branches at its end, where substances called
neurotransmitters are released.
Neurones are polarised cells, as their ends are different. They are formed by
the dendrites, the cell body, the axon and the myelin sheath.
In addition to neurones, in the nervous system we find neuroglial cells. An
example is the Schwann cells, which contain a substance called myelin. They
surround the axons of the neurones and form structures called myelin sheath.
Along each axon, we find several of these structures, separated from each
other by unsheathed areas, called nodes of Ranvier. The myelin sheath
facilitate the rapid displacement of the nerve impulse.
Las neuronas
Son las células principales del sistema nervioso. Su función es recibir el
impulso nervioso de una neurona y transmitirlo a otra, hasta que llega a su
destino.
Hay diferentes tipos y formas de neuronas, pero todas constan de las mismas
partes:
Las neuronas son células polarizadas, ya que sus extremos son diferentes.
Están formados por las dendritas, el cuerpo celular, el axón y la vaina de
mielina.
Además de las neuronas, en el sistema nervioso encontramos células
neurogliales. Un ejemplo son las células de Schwann, que contienen una
sustancia llamada mielina. Rodean los axones de las neuronas y forman
estructuras llamadas vaina de mielina. A lo largo de cada axón encontramos
varias de estas estructuras, separadas entre sí por zonas desenvainadas,
denominadas nódulos de Ranvier. La vaina de mielina facilita el rápido
desplazamiento del impulso nervioso.
According to their function, neurones can be classified into sensory, relay and
motor neurones:
Sensory or afferent neurones: they capture the stimuli from the receptors and
send them to the nerve centres. They join together to form the sensory nerves.
Relay neurones: they form the nerve centres, which are the brain and the spinal
cord, where the stimulus is analysed.
Motor or efferent neurones: they receive the impulse from the nerve centres and
send it to the organs in charge of performing the appropriate response. They
join together to form the motor nerves.
In the cytoplasm of these cells there are a large number of anions (negatively
charged particles). On the contrary, in their surroundings there is a higher
concentration of cations, and therefore, of positive electric charge. When the
neurone is not stimulated, a potential difference of -70 mV (millivolts), called
resting potential, is maintained between the cytoplasm and the surrounding.
When receiving a stimulus, the dendrites' membrane allows the entry of cations,
so the difference in charges between the interior and the surrounding becomes
about +40 mV, called action potential. This charge causes an electrical impulse
to travel from the dendrites to the axon of the same neurone.
la sinapsis
El mecanismo que utilizan las neuronas para transmitir el impulso nervioso se
denomina sinapsis.
The central nervous system (CNS): responsible for receiving and processing
information from the sensory nerves, and then transmitting the impulse to the
motor nerves.
The peripheral nervous system (PNS)): formed by the sensory nerves and the
motor nerves, in charge of transmitting nerve impulses to the appropriate
organs to perform the responses.
El sistema nervioso periférico (SNP): formado por los nervios sensoriales y los
nervios motores, encargados de transmitir impulsos nerviosos a los órganos
apropiados para realizar las respuestas.
The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord and nerves
The central nervous system
The central nervous system is made up of the organsm processing information:
the brain and the spinal cord. They are structures or groupings of neurones
located so that the somas, or cell bodies, are gathered forming the grey matter,
while the axons form the white matter.
The brain is protected by the bones of the skull. It consists of the cerebrum,
cerebellum and brainstem:
The cerebrum: the main and largest organ in the brain. The grey matter is on
the outside, forming the cerebral cortex, and the white matter is on the inside. It
is responsible for receiving information from the sensory nerves and processing
it. It gives the human being the ability to reason, remember and speak.
The cerebellum: located below the cerebrum. The grey and white matters are in
the same position as in the cerebrum. It allows the body to maintain its balance.
The brainstem: located below the cerebellum and communicates with the spinal
cord through the medulla oblongata. The grey matter is on the inside and the
white matter is on the outside. Its function is to control the heartbeat and
breathing [see].
Watch out! Sometimes the brain is called the cerebrum, but that is not correct.
The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body. It is a thin cylinder
inside the spinal column, protected by the vertebrae. The grey matter is on the
inside and the white matter is on the outside. The axons of the neurones form
sensory and motor nerves. They exit and enter the spinal cord through holes in
the vertebrae, reaching the different organs of the body. It can process stimuli
that need an immediate response, called reflexes
El cerebro está protegido por los huesos del cráneo. Está formado por el
cerebro, el cerebelo y el tronco encefálico:
El cerebro: el órgano principal y más grande del cerebro. La materia gris está
en el exterior, formando la corteza cerebral, y la materia blanca está en el
interior. Es responsable de recibir información de los nervios sensoriales y
procesarla. Da al ser humano la capacidad de razonar, recordar y hablar.
El cerebelo: situado debajo del cerebro. Las materias gris y blanca están en la
misma posición que en el cerebro. Permite que el cuerpo mantenga su
equilibrio.
Within the peripheral nervous system, we find the vegetative and somatic
systems. This classification is not based on their structure, but on the functions
they perform.
The vegetative or autonomic nervous system receives the nerve impulse from
the brainstem or spinal cord and, through motor nerves, sends it to the muscles
(smooth muscle) of the internal organs and heart, or to the endocrine glands;
that is, to the organs whose movement is not voluntarily controlled
It is subdivided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The
organs receive two nerves; one from the sympathetic and the other from the
parasympathetic; between the two systems they regulate the functions of
vegetative life without intervention of the will.
For its part, the somatic nervous system controls the skeletal musculature, that
is, the voluntary movements.