Reflex Behaviors and Nervous System

📋 Course Outline

1. Nervous System Organization
2. Neurons and Glial Cells
3. Reflex Behaviors and Pathways

📖 1. Nervous System Organization

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Nervous system : a rapid communication system between organs, continuously connecting all organs through nerve fibers.

★ Must-know

• The encephalon contains:
  • the brain
  • the brainstem
  • the cerebellum

Further detail

• Nerves contain sensory fibers, motor fibers, or both, including 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves.

• The nerve centers are protected by three membranes called the meninges.

💡 Memory Hook

Centers → nerves → muscles or glands

📖 2. Neurons and Glial Cells

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Neuron : an excitable, stimulable, and information-conducting cell.

★ Must-know

• Dendrites receive and integrate information from other neurons or sensory receptors, and a myelinated axon sends the message toward another neuron, a muscle cell, or a glandular cell.

Further detail

• The human encephalon contains approximately 100 billion neurons, while glial cells are approximately 20 times more numerous than neurons.