What are the three main functions of the central nervous system?
The three main functions of your central nervous system are to:
- Receive sensory information.
- Process the information it receives (integration).
- Respond with motor output.
After your brain gets and understands the data collected by your sensory neurons (nerve cells), it sends an electrical signal through your spinal cord to your muscles and glands to create a motor output. An example of this process is wanting to walk across the room. Your brain sends a signal through your spinal cord to the muscles in your legs. Your muscles react to this signal and allow you to complete the action (motor output) of walking.
How does the central nervous system work?
Your brain regulates your thoughts, feelings and movements. It manages the things you do, like bending your fingers, learning and communicating. It also manages how your organs function by telling you to breathe and digest food. You likely don’t think about these things, but your CNS does.
This process works by sending messages through your nervous system. Your brain creates a message. It sends that message (signal) to your spinal cord. Your spinal cord sends the message to your nerves (peripheral nervous system) to complete an action. Signals travel to and from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body constantly to keep your body functioning.
FAQs
The CNS's responsibilities include receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information (see Image. Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems). The brain is an organ of nervous tissue responsible for responses, sensation, movement, emotions, communication, thought processing, and memory.
What are the four main functions of the central nervous system? ›
The 4 main functions of the nervous system are:
- Reception of general sensory information (touch, pressure, temperature, pain, vibration)
- Receiving and perceiving special sensations (taste, smell, vision, sounds)
- Integration of sensory information from different parts of the body and processing them.
- Response generation.
The nervous system helps all the parts of the body to communicate with each other. It also reacts to changes both outside and inside the body. The nervous system uses both electrical and chemical means to send and receive messages.
What does the nervous system control? ›
The nervous system is responsible for intelligence, learning, memory, movement, the senses and basic body functions such as your heartbeat and breathing. The basic building blocks of the nervous system are the nerve cells (neurons) which are responsible for carrying messages to and from different parts of the body.
How to heal the central nervous system? ›
Rebalancing your nervous system means getting back to a state where you feel calm and centered. You can try practicing deep breathing exercises, spending time in nature, or taking short breaks during the day. Regular sleep, a balanced diet, and talking to someone you trust can also help.
What are the three responsibilities of the central nervous system? ›
The CNS's responsibilities include receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information (see Image. Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems). The brain is an organ of nervous tissue responsible for responses, sensation, movement, emotions, communication, thought processing, and memory.
Can you fix a damaged central nervous system? ›
Central nervous system injuries
Injured nerve cells in the central nervous system typically do not regenerate. However, this part of the nervous system can reorganize in response to an injury.
What can go wrong in the central nervous system? ›
Disorders of the nervous system
Structural disorders, such as brain or spinal cord injury, Bell's palsy, cervical spondylosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, brain or spinal cord tumors, peripheral neuropathy, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Functional disorders, such as headache, epilepsy, dizziness, and neuralgia.
What happens if your nervous system is not working properly? ›
The brain, spinal cord, and nerves make up the nervous system. Together they control all the workings of the body. When something goes wrong with a part of your nervous system, you can have trouble moving, speaking, swallowing, breathing, or learning. You can also have problems with your memory, senses, or mood.
How do you regulate your nervous system? ›
Meditation and mindfulness
These practices are powerful tools for regulating the nervous system and promoting a sense of calm. Set aside time each day for meditation, even if it's just a few minutes. Focus on your breath, observe your thoughts without judgment, and cultivate a present-moment awareness.
Disorders of the nervous system
Infections, such as meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis, and epidural abscess. Structural disorders, such as brain or spinal cord injury, cervical spondylosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, brain or spinal cord tumors. Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy.
Why is the central nervous system important? ›
The central nervous system controls thought, movement, and emotion, as well as breathing, heart rate, hormones, and body temperature. The central nervous system (CNS) is referred to as “central” because it combines information from the entire body and coordinates activity across the whole organism.
How long does it take to regulate your nervous system? ›
You can self-regulate your nervous system during stress, which helps to return it back to normal as soon as the stressor has passed, a period called the window of tolerance. It is normal for the nervous system to undergo a healing process after traumatic experiences, which can take approximately one month or more.
What two organs make up the central nervous system? ›
The nervous system has two main parts: The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
What are the four main things in the nervous system? ›
It is an organ system that is composed of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, ganglia, and receptors.
What are the four CNS? ›
The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is the most complex organ in the body and uses 20% of the total oxygen we breathe. The brain consists of an estimated 100 billion neurons connected to thousands more. The brain can be divided into four main lobes: temporal, parietal, occipital, and frontal.
What are the 4 structures that protect the central nervous system? ›
Both the brain and the spinal cord are protected by bone: the brain by the bones of the skull, and the spinal cord by vertebrae , a set of ring-shaped bones. They're both cushioned by layers of membranes (called meninges) and cerebrospinal fluid.
