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What is the nervous system?

Medicine & HealthLesson on requestFree to read

Quick answer

The nervous system is the body's communication network — the brain, spinal cord, and nerves — that senses the world, processes information, and controls everything you think, feel, and do, using fast electrical and chemical signals. The central nervous system (brain + spinal cord) processes information and decides.

Key things to understand

  1. The central nervous system (brain + spinal cord) processes information and decides.
  2. The peripheral nerves carry signals to and from the rest of the body.
  3. Neurons pass messages using electrical impulses and chemical messengers.
  4. It controls both voluntary actions (moving) and automatic ones (heartbeat, breathing).

People also ask

What does the nervous system do?
It senses inputs, processes them in the brain and spinal cord, and sends commands that control movement, thought, and body functions.
What is a neuron?
A nerve cell that transmits information via electrical impulses and chemical signals to other cells.
What's the difference between the central and peripheral nervous systems?
The central is the brain and spinal cord; the peripheral is the network of nerves connecting them to the body.