All organs and systems of the human body are closely interconnected, they interact with the help of the nervous system, which regulates all the mechanisms of life, from digestion to the process of reproduction. It is known that a person (NS) provides a connection between the human body and the external environment. The unit of the NS is the neuron, which is a nerve cell that conducts impulses to other cells of the body. Connecting into neural circuits, they form a whole system, both somatic and vegetative.
We can say that the NS is plastic, as it is able to restructure its work in the case when the needs of the human body change. This mechanism is especially relevant when one of the parts of the brain is damaged.
Since the human nervous system coordinates the work of all organs, its damage affects the activity of both nearby and distant structures, and is accompanied by the failure of the functions of organs, tissues and body systems. The causes of disruption of the nervous system may lie in the presence of infections or poisoning of the body, in the occurrence of a tumor or injury, in diseases of the National Assembly and metabolic disorders.
Thus, the human NS plays a conducting role in the formation and development of the human body. Thanks to the evolutionary improvement of the nervous system, the human psyche and consciousness developed. The nervous system is a vital mechanism for regulating the processes that occur in the human body.
If I may say so, this is a popular science article, where the author's position on the structure of the nervous system and popular misconceptions about it are quite sensibly stated. I personally do not agree with everything, and I will insert my comments in italics in the text of the article.
Various disorders of the nervous system can be observed in almost every person. These disorders are manifested in chronic fatigue, vegetative-vascular dystonia, drowsiness, anxiety, headaches, and so on.
Despite the scientific data regarding the human nervous system, outdated and primitive ideas about the methods of treating nervous disorders and their causes are constantly and daily distributed.
Myths about the nervous system are very tenacious and do a lot of harm, because they leave nothing but to face the appearance of a nervous breakdown. In this article, we will look at the most persistent and common misconceptions about the nervous system.
1. The main cause of a nervous breakdown is stress. If this were so, then such disorders could not occur in those who are satisfied with their own lives. Stress, of course, can cause a violation of the nervous system, but for this it must be either too strong or long. In all other cases, a violation of the nervous system can occur only in those in whom this same nervous system was disturbed long ago.
Violated by the same stress, by the way. Disorders of the nervous system most often appear from an overstrain of the National Assembly, which is ultimately called stress.
2. All diseases come from the nerves. This is perhaps the oldest myth about the nervous system. If this were so, then any army after a month of battle would turn completely into a walking infirmary. Since such stress as real hostilities should have caused various diseases in those who became their participants. But such phenomena are not so widespread. In civilian life, there are many professions that are associated with high nervous stress. But among them there are no increased mass diseases.
In wartime, the body is mobilized. This is a completely different technology, not like in peacetime. The author did not address this issue.
3. During nervous tension, you need to take those drugs that should act directly on the nervous system. Before discussing this myth, let's consider this situation. The fish in the pond got sick, who needs to be treated for the pond or the fish? Is it possible that a violation of some organ of the human body would not be reflected in its general condition? The human nervous system is the same part of the body as the endocrine or some other. There are a number of different diseases that originate directly in the human brain. It is in order to cure them that you need to take drugs that act directly on the brain tissue. I personally have not heard of such a myth.
4. If the vitality is weakened, then you need to use tonics. In fact, no tonic can eliminate any cause of weakening the tone. They can be taken only before strong nervous or physical exertion.
It is not entirely clear what the author means by "weakening of vitality." But with lethargy, loss of strength, stimulants help very well, as a rule. These are coffee, tea, ginseng, lure, etc. Of course, if there are no contraindications.
5. Purposefulness and other human qualities depend on the person himself. But it is not so. For purposefulness in a person, only the frontal part is responsible.
6. Depression can be caused by a wrong or pessimistic way of thinking or because of difficult life circumstances. But not everyone who may find themselves in a difficult life situation develops depression. A normal and healthy nervous system can endure a change of lifestyle quite calmly.
Depression is a rather complex topic, and you can’t put it in one line. Let me just say that healthy pessimism did not bother anyone. Anything is better than the always smiling idiot. I myself am a pessimist, and I have never had depression.
7. If it is difficult for a person to quit smoking, then he is characterized by weak willpower. This misconception has very old roots and is widespread throughout the world.
One of the reasons why a person cannot quit smoking is really weak will. This is my opinion, and many doctors agree with me.
8. Nerve cells are hard to recover. This statement suggests that nervous tension, manifested in the form of anger, entails the death of nerve tissues. But in fact, the death of nerve cells is a natural and permanent process. During stress, not the cells themselves are consumed, but the substances that ensure their work.
However, as a result of stress, and especially after a good binge, the death of nerve cells increases. Which cannot but affect the general state of the National Assembly.
9. Laziness is a disease that is invented by those who do not want to work. It is generally accepted that a person has only three instincts laid down by nature: food, self-preservation and prolongation of the family. But in fact we have many such instincts, one of which is the instinct to preserve vitality. And laziness is a natural manifestation of this instinct.
10. Another myth about the nervous system sounds like this - "Chronic fatigue can go away if the body is given a little rest." But there is a rebuttal to this. In healthy people whose work is connected with everyday and hard work, strength can be restored after a night's sleep. But there are those who constantly feel tired and without muscle loads.
The mystery of this contradiction lies in the fact that the release or formation of energy in our body can be disturbed at each stage, due to various internal reasons that will not be associated with a violation of the nervous system.
Chronic (long-term) fatigue can go away after a long rest.
The nervous system controls the activity of all systems and organs and ensures the connection of the body with the external environment.
The structure of the nervous system
The structural unit of the nervous system is the neuron - a nerve cell with processes. In general, the structure of the nervous system is a collection of neurons that are constantly in contact with each other using special mechanisms - synapses. The following types of neurons differ in function and structure:
- Sensitive or receptor;
- Effector - motor neurons that send an impulse to the executive organs (effectors);
- Closing or plug-in (conductor).
Conventionally, the structure of the nervous system can be divided into two large sections - somatic (or animal) and vegetative (or autonomous). The somatic system is primarily responsible for the connection of the body with the external environment, providing movement, sensitivity and contraction of skeletal muscles. The vegetative system affects the growth processes (respiration, metabolism, excretion, etc.). Both systems have a very close relationship, only the autonomic nervous system is more independent and does not depend on the will of a person. That is why it is also called autonomous. The autonomous system is divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic.
The entire nervous system consists of the central and peripheral. The central part includes the spinal cord and brain, and the peripheral system represents the outgoing nerve fibers from the brain and spinal cord. If you look at the brain in section, you can see that it consists of white and gray matter.
Gray matter is an accumulation of nerve cells (with the initial sections of processes extending from their bodies). Separate groups of gray matter are also called nuclei.
White matter consists of nerve fibers covered with myelin sheath (processes of nerve cells from which gray matter is formed). In the spinal cord and brain, nerve fibers form pathways.
Peripheral nerves are divided into motor, sensory and mixed, depending on what fibers they consist of (motor or sensory). The bodies of neurons, whose processes are made up of sensory nerves, are located in ganglions outside the brain. The bodies of motor neurons are located in the motor nuclei of the brain and the anterior horns of the spinal cord.
Functions of the nervous system
The nervous system has different effects on the organs. The three main functions of the nervous system are:
- Starting, causing or stopping the function of an organ (secretion of the gland, muscle contraction, etc.);
- Vasomotor, which allows you to change the width of the lumen of the vessels, thereby regulating the flow of blood to the organ;
- Trophic, lowering or increasing metabolism, and, consequently, the consumption of oxygen and nutrients. This allows you to constantly coordinate the functional state of the body and its need for oxygen and nutrients. When impulses are sent along the motor fibers to the working skeletal muscle, causing its contraction, then impulses are simultaneously received that increase metabolism and dilate blood vessels, which makes it possible to provide the energy for performing muscle work.
Diseases of the nervous system
Together with the endocrine glands, the nervous system plays a crucial role in the functioning of the body. It is responsible for the coordinated work of all systems and organs of the human body and unites the spinal cord, brain and peripheral system. Motor activity and sensitivity of the body is supported by nerve endings. And thanks to the autonomic system, the cardiovascular system and other organs are inverted.
Therefore, a violation of the functions of the nervous system affects the work of all systems and organs.
All diseases of the nervous system can be divided into infectious, hereditary, vascular, traumatic and chronically progressive.
Hereditary diseases are genomic and chromosomal. The most famous and common chromosomal disease is Down's disease. This disease is characterized by the following symptoms: a violation of the musculoskeletal system, the endocrine system, lack of mental abilities.
Traumatic lesions of the nervous system occur due to bruises and injuries, or when squeezing the brain or spinal cord. Such diseases are usually accompanied by vomiting, nausea, memory loss, disorders of consciousness, loss of sensitivity.
Vascular diseases mainly develop against the background of atherosclerosis or hypertension. This category includes chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency, cerebrovascular accident. Characterized by the following symptoms: attacks of vomiting and nausea, headache, impaired motor activity, decreased sensitivity.
Chronically progressive diseases, as a rule, develop as a result of metabolic disorders, exposure to infection, intoxication of the body, or due to abnormalities in the structure of the nervous system. Such diseases include sclerosis, myasthenia, etc. These diseases usually progress gradually, reducing the efficiency of some systems and organs.
Causes of diseases of the nervous system:
The placental route of transmission of diseases of the nervous system during pregnancy (cytomegalovirus, rubella), as well as through the peripheral system (poliomyelitis, rabies, herpes, meningoencephalitis) is also possible.
In addition, the nervous system is negatively affected by endocrine, heart, kidney diseases, malnutrition, chemicals and drugs, heavy metals.
The human nervous system works continuously. Thanks to it, such vital processes as breathing, heartbeat and digestion are carried out.
Why is the nervous system needed?
The human nervous system performs several important functions at once:
- receives information about the external world and the state of the body,
- transmits information about the state of the whole body to the brain,
- coordinates voluntary (conscious) movements of the body,
- coordinates and regulates involuntary functions: breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature.
How is it organized?
Brain- This center of the nervous system: about the same as the processor in a computer.
The wires and ports of this "supercomputer" are the spinal cord and nerve fibers. They permeate all the tissues of the body like a big net. Nerves transmit electrochemical signals from different parts of the nervous system, as well as other tissues and organs.
In addition to the nervous network called the peripheral nervous system, there are also autonomic nervous system. It regulates the work of internal organs, which is not consciously controlled: digestion, heartbeat, respiration, hormone secretion.
What can harm the nervous system?
Toxic Substances disrupt the flow of electrochemical processes in the cells of the nervous system and lead to the death of neurons.
Particularly dangerous for the nervous system are heavy metals (for example, mercury and lead), various poisons (including tobacco and alcohol) and some medications.
Injuries occur when the limbs or spine are damaged. In the case of bone fractures, the nerves close to them are crushed, pinched or even torn. This results in pain, numbness, loss of sensation, or impaired motor function.
A similar process can also occur when posture disorder. Due to the constant incorrect position of the vertebrae, the nerve roots of the spinal cord, which exit into the openings of the vertebrae, are pinched or constantly irritated. Similar pinched nerve can also occur in areas of the joints or muscles and cause numbness or pain.
Another example of a pinched nerve is the so-called tunnel syndrome. With this disease, constant small movements of the hand lead to a pinched nerve in the tunnel formed by the bones of the wrist, through which the median and ulnar nerves pass.
Some diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, also affect nerve function. During this disease, the sheath of nerve fibers is destroyed, due to which conduction is disturbed in them.
How to keep the nervous system healthy?
1. Stick healthy eating. All nerve cells are covered with a fatty membrane called myelin. In order for this insulator not to break down, there should be enough healthy fats in the food, as well as vitamin D and B12.
In addition, foods rich in potassium, magnesium, folic acid and other B vitamins are useful for the normal functioning of the nervous system.
2. Give up bad habits: smoking and drinking alcohol.
3. Don't forget about vaccinations. A disease such as poliomyelitis affects the nervous system and leads to impaired motor functions. Polio can be protected from by vaccination.
4. move more. Muscle work not only stimulates brain activity, but also improves conductivity in the nerve fibers themselves. In addition, improving the blood supply to the whole body allows better nutrition for the nervous system.
5. Train your nervous system daily. Read, do crossword puzzles or go for a walk in nature. Even compiling a regular letter requires the use of all the main components of the nervous system: not only the peripheral nerves, but also the visual analyzer, various parts of the brain and spinal cord.
The most important
For the body to function properly, the nervous system must work well. If its work is disrupted, the quality of human life is seriously affected.
Train your nervous system daily, give up bad habits and eat right.
Under the power of nervous processes, I.P. Pavlov understood the performance of nerve cells, their ability to endure strong stress without falling into a state of inhibition (limiting inhibition). The strength of nervous processes depends on the stock of reactive, or functional, substance in the nerve cells. Depending on the strength of the nervous processes, the nervous system can be strong or weak. A strong nervous system is characterized by a great strength of nervous processes - excitation and inhibition; the latter is due to the large stock of reactive substance in the nerve cells.
A weak nervous system is associated with a small supply of reactive substance in nerve cells; it is characterized by weakness of the main nervous processes - excitation and inhibition. A strong nervous system is able to endure great tension, but a weak one cannot endure such tension.
The strength of the nervous system is a property of the nervous system, reflecting the limit of the efficiency of the cells of the cerebral cortex, i.e. their ability to withstand, without going into a braking state, either a very strong or long-acting (although not strong) impact.
The strength of nervous processes is characterized by the working capacity, endurance of the nervous system and means its ability to endure prolonged or short-term, but very strong excitation or inhibition. Weakness of nervous processes - the inability of nerve cells to withstand prolonged and concentrated excitation or inhibition. Under their action, nerve cells quite quickly pass into a state of protective inhibition. However, a weak nervous system is highly sensitive.
For temperament, the strength of mental processes is indicative. At the same time, not only their absolute strength at one moment or another is essential, but also how much it remains constant, i.e. degree of dynamic stableaboutsti.
With significant stability, the strength of reactions in each individual case depends on the changing conditions in which a person finds himself and is adequate to them: a stronger external irritation causes a stronger reaction, a weaker irritation causes a weaker reaction. In individuals with greater instability, on the contrary, a strong irritation can - depending on the very volatile state of the personality - cause either a very strong or a very weak reaction; in the same way, the slightest irritation can sometimes cause a very strong reaction; a very significant event, fraught with the most serious consequences, can leave a person indifferent, and in another case, an insignificant occasion will give a violent outbreak: the reaction in this sense is not at all adequate to the stimulus.
