Nervous Coordination in Humans

Nervous Coordination in Humans

Nervous coordination in humans
Introduction
When you enter a dark room and switch on, light instantly comes through the bulb. The bulb is connected by wires that are attached to the switch which turns on the electric power in a simple electric system.
In the human body, the nervous system is like the electric system. Receptors organs e.g. the eyes are like the switch, The nerves (integrators) are like the wires through which impulses are transmitted when changes in the environment/input (stimuli) are detected. The effector organs like muscles are
like the bulbs and the response is like the light. The nervous system has two main parts; the Central Nervous System and the Peripheral Nervous System. In this chapter, you will appreciate that nerve impulses are forms of communication between receptor and effector organs and that impulses are
affected/interrupted by chemicals found in drugs and alcohol. This will guide you on how you can maintain a healthy nervous system.

5.1: Components of the Nervous system
The nervous system is made up different components that work together to perform the sensory functions. In Activity 5.1, you will discuss the components of the nervous system and how the system extends to all parts of the body and has sensory and motor functions.

Activity 5.1: Discussing the components of the nervous system Do this activity in a pair.
Key question: What are the sensory and motor functions of the nervous system?
What you need: Reference materials about the nervous system, the Internet, a notebook, a pen.
What to do:

1. Research about the components of the nervous system.
2. Draw and label a sketch of the human being showing the main components of the nervous system.
3. Discuss functions of each of the components. Record your conclusions in the table below.

4. Design and carryout an activity to demonstrate the relationship between any of your external body parts and the nervous system.
   Share your findings and conclusions in a class discussion.
   From Activity 5.1, you identified the components of the nervous system. In this section, you will look at major components in detail and how all of them connect.

5.2: Parts of the Human Brain

The brain is a vital organ in the human body. Together with the spinal cord, they make up the control centre of the central nervous system parts. The brain has five major Components. In Activity 5.2, you will identify them and describe the roles of each component.

Activity 5.2: Labeling the parts of the human brain and researching about their roles Do this activity in a pair.
Key question: Identify the main parts of the brain and state their roles.
What you need: Reference materials about the brain, a note book, a pen, a pencil
What to do:

1. Draw Figure 5.1 in your notebook. Use reference materials to find out the location of the cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, and the
   hypothalamus and label them.
2. Describe the roles and functions of each component. Present your findings and conclusions in the table below.

5.3: Voluntary and Involuntary Responses
Voluntary responses are deliberately chosen responses to stimuli while involuntary responses are sudden and unplanned responses to stimuli.
In Activity 5.3 you will identify the difference between voluntary and involuntary responses.

Activity 5.3: Identifying the differences between voluntary and involuntary responses and their examples
Do this activity in a pair.
Key question: What are the difference between voluntary and involuntary responses?
what you need: Reference materials about voluntary and involuntary responses, the Internet, a notebook and a pen
What to do:

1. Using reference materials or the Internet, research about voluntary and involuntary responses.
   i) Giving examples, explain what you understand by voluntary and involuntary responses.
   ii) Identify the key differences between voluntary and involuntary responses. Record your findings in the table below.

2. Sit facing each other. Let one of you rapidly move a finger towards the other’s eye.
   i) How did your partner respond?
   ii) Was the response voluntary or involuntary?
3. Discuss the functions of involuntary responses to the body.
   Compare your findings with those of other pairs.

5.4: Reflex Action
Have you ever been scared by an animal or an insect? See Figure 5.2. How did you respond? That was an automatic response to stimuli which is a reflex action. Swallowing and blinking are also examples of reflex
actions. Reflex action impulses pass through a reflex arc which is a neural path way linking a receptor and an effector. In Activity 5.4, you will understand reflex action. You will also understand the reflex
arc, identify its five components and explain their functions.

Activity 5.4: Exploring a reflex action and identifying the components of a reflex arc.
Do this activity in a group.
Key question: What are the components of a reflex arc?
What you need: Reference materials about reflect action, the Internet, a notebook and a pen
What to do:

1. Let one of the members sit on a high chair with one leg crossed over the other at the knee cap.
   i)
   Let one of you tap the crossed knee tendon just below the knee cap.
   ii) Observe the jerking forward of the leg with each tap.
   iii) From your observations describe the sequence of events that led to the jerking movement.
2. Using reference materials or the Internet, research and identify the components of a reflex arc and explain their functions. Record your findings in the table below.

3. Individually produce an annotated diagram ofa reflex arc. Present your observation and findings to the rest of the class.

5.5: Drug/Substance Use and Abuse
A drug is a substance which impacts a physiological effect when introduced in the body. The mode of consumption of the drug and the drug type is what brings out the difference in this topic.
In Activity 5.5, you shall find out the common substances that are abused in Uganda.
Activity 5.5: Distinguishing between drug use and abuse and identifying the common substances that are abused in Uganda
Do this activity in a group.
Key question: Which drugs are commonly used and abused in Uganda?
What you need: Reference materials about drug use and drug abuse, a notebook a pen

What to do:

1. Susan got a headache and went to the doctor. She was given a prescription to take a certain pain killer two tablets, three times a day for three days. After the third day, Susan was feeling better. However, two days later, she felt the pain again and this time it was intense. She decided to buy the same pain killer and take three tables, four times a day for seven days.
   i) Use the story above to distinguish between drug use and drug abuse. Give reasons for your response.
2. What drugs/substances are commonly abused in your community?
   Compare your responses with those of another group.

5.6: Physiological, Social and Economic Effects of Substance and Drug Abuse
Drug abuse has got severe and harmful effeCts on people. Efforts must be made to stop this practice especially among the youth. In Activity 5.6, you will discuss the physiological, social and economic effects of drug and substance abuse. You will find out the reasons why some people get and understand how to prevent, control and avoid involvement in substance and drug abuse.

Activity 5.6: Investigating the effects of drug abuse
Do this activity in a group.
Key question: What are the effects of drug abuse?
What you need: A questionnaire, a note book, a pen
What to do:
In Activity 5.5, you identified the commonly abused drugs in Uganda. For each drug identified, discuss the physiological social and economic effects it causes to human. Present your conclusion in a table below.

With the help of your teacher, Identify a person who overcame effects of drug abuse and interview him or her about;
i) What made him or her get involved with drugs.
ii) What drug(s) she/he abuses and how she/he was affected.
iii) At what point he/she realized that she/he needed help?

iv) How she /he overcome the effects of drug abuse.

2. As a person with knowledge about drugs, write pieces of advice to your friend on how to avoid involvement in drug abuse. Present your work to the rest of the class

Develop a drama skit on drug/substance abuse in secondary schools In this chapter, you have learnt that:

1. The nervous system is made up of components that work together to perform sensory functions
2. The brain is a vital organ and together with the spinal cord they control the central nervous parts.
3. Voluntary responses are deliberately chosen responses to stimuli while involuntary responses are sudden and unplanned responses to stimuli.
4. Drug and substance abuse have severe harmful psychological, social and economic effects on users.

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