From 355e8e2d5800014480c3f76799ccfe0bde7312f3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Bhawna Sehgal Date: Thu, 7 Nov 2024 12:59:46 +0530 Subject: [PATCH] Add course: Basics of Neuroscience Add module 2 (all about nervous system) content --- courses/basics-of-neuroscience/index.rst | 10 ++ .../basics-of-neuroscience/module-2/index.rst | 113 ++++++++++++++++++ courses/index.rst | 9 +- courses/open-ephys/index.rst | 2 +- 4 files changed, 132 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) create mode 100644 courses/basics-of-neuroscience/index.rst create mode 100644 courses/basics-of-neuroscience/module-2/index.rst diff --git a/courses/basics-of-neuroscience/index.rst b/courses/basics-of-neuroscience/index.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..02b587a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/courses/basics-of-neuroscience/index.rst @@ -0,0 +1,10 @@ +.. _basics-of-neuroscience: + +Course Curriculum +########################## + +.. toctree:: + :hidden: + :maxdepth: 1 + + module-2/index \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/courses/basics-of-neuroscience/module-2/index.rst b/courses/basics-of-neuroscience/module-2/index.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..11e40de7 --- /dev/null +++ b/courses/basics-of-neuroscience/module-2/index.rst @@ -0,0 +1,113 @@ +.. _module-2: + +Module 2: Nervous System +########################## + +2.1 Introduction +****************** + +The nervous system consists of a brain, spinal cord, nerves and is one of the most complex and vital systems in the body, responsible for receiving, transmitting, and processing information. It acts as the body's command center and enables communication between different parts of the body, allowing organisms to interact with their environment. + +It is divided into two major parts: +- Central Nervous System (CNS) +- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) + +.. todo:: Add image showing CNS PNS + +2.2 Central Nervous System (CNS) +******************************** + +The central nervous system (CNS) is the body’s command center and is made up of your brain and spinal cord. The brain is protected within your skull while your vertebrae protects your spinal cord. + +2.2.1 The Brain +================ + +The brain is the most complex organ which communicates with the body by sending and receiving chemical and electrical signals. Some signals remain within the brain, while others are transmitted through the spinal cord and across a network of nerves to distant parts of the body. This communication relies on billions of neurons that form the central nervous system. + +.. note:: - Brain weighs about 3 pounds in the average adult and contains about 60% fat. The remaining 40% is a combination of water, protein, carbohydrates and salts. + - The brain itself is not a muscle. It contains blood vessels and nerves, including neurons and glial cells. + +Structure of the brain can be divided into 3 major parts: + +Cerebrum +------------- + +Cerebrum is the largest part of the brain which can be divided into 2 hemispheres, right and left. + +.. note:: - The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body, and the left half controls the right side of the body. + - The two halves communicate with one another through a large C shaped structure called corpus callosum which is the center part of the cerebrum. + +Each hemisphere is further divided into four lobes: + +a. Frontal lobe: The largest lobe of the brain, located in the front of the head, the frontal lobe is involved in personality characteristics, decision-making, movement, speech and smell. +b. Parietal lobe: The middle part of the brain, the parietal lobe helps a person identify objects and understand spatial relationships (where one’s body is compared with objects around the person). The parietal lobe is also involved in processing sensory information (touch, pain, temperature) and understanding spoken language. +c. Temporal lobe: The sides of the brain, temporal lobes are involved in short-term memory, speech, musical rhythm and some degree of smell recognition. +d. Occipital lobe: The occipital lobe is the back part of the brain that is responsible for visual processing. + +Cerebellum +------------------- + +The cerebellum (little brain) is a fist-sized portion of the brain located at the back of the head and above the brainstem. Its function is to coordinate voluntary muscle movements and to maintain posture, balance and equilibrium. + +Brainstem +-------------- + +The brainstem (middle of brain) connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord. The brainstem includes the midbrain, the pons and the medulla. + +a. Midbrain: Involved in motor control and auditory/visual processing. +b. Pons: It is a connection between midbrain and medulla. It controls sleep, respiration, and some motor functions. +c. Medulla: At the bottom of the brainstem, the medulla is where the brain meets the spinal cord. The medulla is crucial for survival, as it regulates vital bodily functions, including heart rate, breathing, blood circulation, and the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. It also controls reflexive actions such as sneezing, vomiting, coughing, and swallowing. + +2.2.2 The Spinal Cord +====================== + +The spinal cord extends from the bottom of the medulla and through a large opening in the bottom of the skull. Supported by the vertebrae, the spinal cord carries messages to and from the brain and the rest of the body. +The spinal cord is a long, tubular structure that extends from the bottom of the medulla and runs down through the vertebral column. It acts as a highway for communication between the brain and the body. It transmits sensory information from the body to the brain and motor commands from the brain to the body. It is also responsible for reflex actions, which are rapid and involuntary responses to stimuli. + +2.3 Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) +************************************** + +.. todo:: Add a graph on how PNS is subdivided into various types + +The Peripheral Nervous System connects the Central Nervous System to the rest of the body and is responsible for transmitting signals to and from various organs and tissues. It is divided into two major systems: + +2.3.1 Somatic Nervous System (SNS) +===================================== + +The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movements and transmits sensory information to the central nervous system. It consists: + +a. Sensory Neurons (Afferent Neurons): These neurons carry signals from sensory receptors (skin, muscles, joints) to the CNS, allowing us to perceive sensations like pain, temperature, and touch. +b. Motor Neurons (Efferent Neurons): These neurons transmit commands from the CNS to the skeletal muscles, enabling voluntary movement such as walking, talking, and picking up objects. + +2.3.2 Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) +====================================== + +The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary physiological processes, such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate. It operates without conscious control and is divided into three main parts: + +a. Sympathetic Nervous System: Known as the "fight or flight" system, it prepares the body for stress or emergency situations by increasing heart rate, dilating pupils, releasing adrenaline, and redirecting blood flow to muscles. +b. Parasympathetic Nervous System: It does the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system. Often referred to as the "rest and digest" system, it promotes relaxation by slowing the heart rate, promoting digestion, and conserving energy after a stressful event. +c. Enteric Nervous System: It regulates the digestive functions of the gastrointestinal tract by controlling secretions, blood flow, hormone release, and motility (the movement of food through the digestive tract). + +2.4 Neurons +************** + +Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system and are responsible for sending, receiving and transmitting electrochemical signals throughout the body. + +2.4.1 Types of neurons +========================= + +1. Sensory Neurons: Transmit sensory information (e.g., pain, temperature, pressure) from receptors to the CNS. +2. Motor Neurons: Carry commands from the CNS to muscles and glands, enabling actions like muscle contraction or hormone release. It is the most common type of neuron. +3. Interneurons: These neurons are found in the CNS and act as connectors between sensory and motor neurons. They help process and integrate information. + +2.4.2 Structure of neuron +============================ + +.. todo:: add image for the structure + +- Cell Body (Soma): The soma, or cell body, is the core of the neuron which maintains the cell and to keep the neuron functioning efficiently. It is enclosed by a membrane that protects it and allows it to interact with its immediate surroundings +- Nucleus: Nucleus contains the genetic material (chromosomes) of the neuron cell. +- Dendrites: Dendrites are the tree root shaped part of the neuron which is responsible for receiving information from other neurons and to transmit electrical signals to the cell body. +- Axons: Axons are the tail-like structure of the neuron which are responsible for transmitting electrical impulses (action potentials) away from the cell body toward other neurons. +- Myelin sheath: Myelin sheath is a fatty layer that insulates the axon, speeding up signal transmission. +- Synapse: Neurons do not touch each other, but where one neuron comes close to another neuron, a synapse is formed between the two which acts as a junction between two neurons where neurotransmitters are released to transmit signals to the next neuron. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/courses/index.rst b/courses/index.rst index 05c9fb46..3492166a 100644 --- a/courses/index.rst +++ b/courses/index.rst @@ -6,7 +6,14 @@ Courses .. toctree:: :hidden: :maxdepth: 1 - :caption: Courses + :caption: Extracellular Electrophysiology Acquisition open-ephys/index + +.. toctree:: + :hidden: + :maxdepth: 1 + :caption: Basics of Neuroscience + + basics-of-neuroscience/index \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/courses/open-ephys/index.rst b/courses/open-ephys/index.rst index d1c50527..3991c6aa 100644 --- a/courses/open-ephys/index.rst +++ b/courses/open-ephys/index.rst @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ .. _open-epyhs: -Extracellular Electrophysiology Acquisition +Course Curriculum ##################################################### Introduction