What does the nervous system do? (2024)

The nervous system plays a role in nearly every aspect of our health and well-being. It guides everyday activities such as waking up; automatic activities such as breathing; and complex processes such as thinking, reading, remembering, and feeling emotions.

The nervous system controls:

  • Brain growth and development
  • Sensations (such as touch or hearing)
  • Perception (the mental process of interpreting sensory information)
  • Thought and emotions
  • Learning and memory
  • Movement, balance, and coordination
  • Sleep
  • Healing and rehabilitation
  • Stress and the body’s responses to stress
  • Aging
  • Breathing and heartbeat
  • Body temperature
  • Hunger, thirst, and digestion
  • Puberty, reproductive health, and fertility

Neuroscientists study these and other nervous system functions in both healthy and diseased states. Studying and understanding the nervous system is important because it affects so many areas of human health and well-being.1

Citations

Open Citations

  1. Society for Neuroscience. (n.d.).About neuroscience.Retrieved September 17, 2018, fromhttps://www.brainfacts.org/core-concepts What does the nervous system do? (1)
What does the nervous system do? (2024)

FAQs

What does the nervous system do? ›

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 is the main function of the nervous system? ›

Your nervous system's main function is to send messages from various parts of your body to your brain, and from your brain back out to your body to tell your body what to do. These messages regulate your: Thoughts, memory, learning and feelings. Movements (balance and coordination).

What are the 3 main things in the nervous system? ›

The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and a complex network of nerves.

What is the nervous system mainly responsible for? ›

The nervous system is responsible for: intelligence, learning and memory: your thoughts and feelings. physical movement. basic body functions such as the beating of your heart, breathing, digestion, sweating and shivering.

What happens if you damage your nervous system? ›

A nerve injury can affect the brain's ability to communicate with muscles and organs. Damage to the peripheral nerves is called peripheral neuropathy. It's important to get medical care for a peripheral nerve injury as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent complications and permanent damage.

What does the nervous system control? ›

The nervous system plays a role in nearly every aspect of our health and well-being. It guides everyday activities such as waking up; automatic activities such as breathing; and complex processes such as thinking, reading, remembering, and feeling emotions. The nervous system controls: Brain growth and development.

Why is the nervous system so important? ›

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.

How to heal the 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 does the nervous system do to the brain? ›

The nervous system takes in information through our senses, processes the information and triggers reactions, such as making your muscles move or causing you to feel pain. For example, if you touch a hot plate, you reflexively pull back your hand and your nerves simultaneously send pain signals to your brain.

How do I know if my nervous system is messed up? ›

In other cases, they come on gradually or come and go. The most common symptoms of a nerve condition include: A feeling of numbness, pain, tingling, or burning in your limbs or extremities. Unexplained weakness, loss of muscle strength, or paralysis.

What does a bad nervous system do? ›

A few examples of symptoms that may be caused by a nervous system problem include: Numbness or tingling. Weakness or a reduced ability to move any part of the body (not caused by pain). Tremors, tics, or other unusual movements, such as a walking (gait) change or mouth smacking.

Can anxiety damage the nervous system? ›

Summary. Pathological anxiety and chronic stress lead to structural degeneration and impaired functioning of the hippocampus and the PFC, which may account for the increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and dementia.

What is the main function of the nervous system quizlet? ›

The main functions of the central nervous system is to PROCESS information received through sensory systems and other parts of the body and to activate appropriate actions to the external/internal stimuli.

What is the main functional unit of the nervous system? ›

Neurons are the basic functional units of the nervous system, and they generate electrical signals called action potentials, which allow them to quickly transmit information over long distances.

Which of the following is a function of the nervous system (CNA)? ›

The nervous system has three main functions: sensory input, integration of data and motor output. Sensory input is when the body gathers information or data, by way of neurons, glia and synapses.

What are the two major parts of the nervous system? ›

The body's nervous system is made up of two major parts, the central nervous system, and the peripheral nervous system. These two parts of the nervous system act jointly to assure your body is communicating all of its sensory information and needs.

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