Physiology of Nervous system
The
nervous system has two major parts: the central nervous system (CNS) and the
peripheral nervous system (PNS). The central system is the primary control
center for the body and is composed of the brain and spinal cord. The
peripheral system consists of a network of nerves that connects the rest of the
body to the CNS.
The two systems work together to
collect information from inside the body and from the environment outside it.
The systems process the collected information and then dispatch instructions to
the rest of the body, making it respond.
In most cases, the brain is the
destination for information gathered by the rest of the nervous system. Once
data arrives, the brain sorts and files it before sending out any necessary
commands.
The brain is divided into many
different sections, including the cerebrum and brain stem. These parts handle
pieces of the brain’s overall workload, including storing and retrieving memory
and making body movements smooth.
Although the brain is the control
center, its job would not be possible without the spinal cord, which is the
major conduit for information traveling between brain and body.
Peripheral system nerves branch
from either the brain stem or the spinal cord. Each nerve is connected to a
particular area of the torso or limbs and is responsible for communication to
and from those regions.
The PNS can also be divided into
smaller pieces: the somatic and autonomic systems. The somatic involves parts
of the body a person can command at will, and the autonomic helps run
involuntary functions such as pumping blood.
Information conveyed through the
nervous system moves along networks of cells called neurons. These neurons can
only send information one way. Those transmitting to the brain are sensory
neurons; those that transmit from the brain are known as motor neurons.
The nervous system can suffer
from a number of afflictions, including cancer. Other problems include multiple
sclerosis, in which damaged nerves prevent signals from traveling along them,
and meningitis, which causes an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the
brain and spinal cord.
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