The Nervous System
The sense organs are the specialized structures that are under the control of the nervous system. These organs receive messages from the surroundings and send them to the nervous system. The nervous system then processes and interprets the information and determines what actions are to be taken.
The nervous system controls and regulates body’s activities. It enables to think and reason out things and events. People also adjust to the changes in the environment because of the nervous system.
The brain and the spinal cord make up the central nervous system. The nerve cells outside of the brain and the spinal cord make up the peripheral nervous system.
Central Nervous system works
The Brain
The brain is the major organ of the nervous system. It is made up of soft tissues and many nerves. It is located in the skull cavity and is well protected by the hard bones of the skull. The brain divides into three main regions:
1. The Cerebrum
2. The Cerebellum
3. The Medulla oblongata
The Cerebrum
The largest part of the brain is the cerebrum. The outer parts of the cerebrum have folds or creases containing numerous nerve cells. They are called convolutions. The cerebrum has a deep groove which divides it into two halves or hemispheres. The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body. The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body.
The cerebrum is the part of the brain which enables to know what is happening around you. It controls certain activities of the body. It has special areas for taste, smell, sight, touch, hearing, and speech. Areas for memory, thinking, and reasoning are also found in the cerebrum. Certain movements of the different parts of the body are also controlled by the cerebrum.
The Cerebellum
The cerebellum is a smaller region of the brain. It is found at the back just below the cerebrum. The cerebrum and the cerebellum work closely together.
The cerebellum controls your physical coordination and balance. It coordinates the work of the voluntary muscles so that the actions are smooth and efficient. We use our cerebrum to decide on a physical activity. But we use the cerebellum to carry out the physical activity. When we do some voluntary activities such as walking, running, jumping, playing, our cerebellum is doing its work.
The Medulla Oblongata
The medulla oblongata is the smallest region of the brain. It connects the brain to the spinal cord. It controls the important involuntary actions of the body. Involuntary actions are very important functions of some parts of our body that happen without control. Your heart rate, breathing rate, and the muscular action of the digestive tracts are some examples of involuntary actions. The medulla also controls other involuntary activities like swallowing, sneezing, and coughing.
The Spinal Cord
The spinal cord extends from the medulla oblongata down to your back. It is located in the spinal column. The spinal column (backbone) protects the spinal cord.
The spinal cord is made up of many nerve cells, known as association nerve cells. These nerve cells extend from the brain to the very end of the spinal column branching out to the different parts of the body. Each of these nerve cells carries messages either toward the spinal cord or away from the spinal cord.
The spinal cord performs two main functions for the nervous system. First, it relays the messages from the brain to the different parts of the body. Second, the spinal cord controls some important body actions that do not involve the brain. These actions are called reflexes. They are automatic responses of the body to certain situations.
Category: Nervous System
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