The Central Nervous System in Your Body

The Central Nervous System in Your Body Theories Biological Psychology Print The Central Nervous System in Your Body By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Claudia Chaves, MD on October 09, 2019 Claudia Chaves, MD, is board-certified in cerebrovascular disease and neurology with a subspecialty certification in vascular neurology. Learn about our Medical Review Board Claudia Chaves, MD Updated on January 16, 2020 The central nervous system is composed of the brain, spinal cord, and neurons. Sciepro/Science Photo Library/Getty Images More in Theories Biological Psychology Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Psychosocial Psychology The central nervous system (CNS) is comprised of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS receives sensory information from the nervous system and controls the bodys responses. The CNS is differentiated from the peripheral nervous system, which involves all of the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord that carry messages to the CNS. The central nervous system plays a primary role in receiving information from various areas of the body and then coordinating this activity to produce the bodys responses.?? The Structure of the Central Nervous System The CNS has three main components: the brain, the spinal cord, and the neurons (or nerve cells). The Brain The brain controls many of the bodys functions including sensation, thought, movement, awareness, and memory. The surface of the brain is known as the cerebral cortex. The surface of the cortex appears bumpy thanks to the grooves and folds of the tissue. Each groove is known as a sulcus, while each bump is known as a gyrus. The largest part of the brain is known as the cerebrum and is responsible for things such as memory, speech, voluntary behaviors, and thought.?? The cerebrum is divided into two hemispheres, a right hemisphere, and a left hemisphere. The brains right hemisphere controls movements on the bodys left side, while the left hemisphere controls movements on the bodys right side. While some functions do tend to be lateralized, researchers have found that there are not left brained or right brained thinkers, as the old myth implies.?? Both sides of the brain work together to produce various functions. Each hemisphere of the brain is then divided into four interconnected lobes: The frontal lobes are associated with higher cognition, voluntary movements, and language.The parietal lobes are associated with processing sensory information.The temporal lobes are associated with hearing and interpreting sounds as well as the formation of memories.The occipital lobes are associated with visual processes. The Spinal Cord The spinal cord connects to the brain via the brain stem and then runs down through the spinal canal, located inside the vertebra. The spinal cord carries information from various parts of the body to and from the brain. In the case of some reflex movements, responses are controlled by spinal pathways without involvement from the brain. Neurons Neurons are the building blocks of the central nervous system. Billions of these nerve cells can be found throughout the body and communicate with one another to produces physical responses and actions. Neurons are the bodys information superhighway. An estimated 86 billion neurons can be found in the brain alone.?? Protective Structures Since the CNS is so important, it is protected by a number of structures. First, the entire CNS is enclosed in bone. The brain is protected by the skull, while the spinal cord is protected by the vertebra of the spinal column. The brain and spinal cord are both covered with a protective tissue known as meninges. The entire CNS is also immersed in a substance known as cerebrospinal fluid, which forms a chemical environment to allow nerve fibers to transmit information effectively as well as offering yet another layer of protection from potential damage.?? Synapses in the Nervous System