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Nervous system
Thenervoussystemhelpsallthepartsofthebodytocommunicatewitheachother.Italsoreacts tochangesbothoutsideandinsidethebody.Thenervoussystemusesbothelectricalandchemical meanstosendandreceivemessages. Neurones are the building blocks Thebasicbuildingblockofthenervoussystemisanervecell,orneurone.Neuronesareshaped differentlydependingonwheretheyareinthebodyandwhatroletheyplay.Allneuroneshave finger-likeprojectionscalleddendritesandalongfibrecalledanaxon. Inmanycases,theaxoniscoatedbyaspecialisedmembranecalledamyelinsheath.Theaxon feathersoutandhasanumberofbumpsonit.Eachbumpsitsneartoadendritefromanother neurone.Thespacebetweenthebumpandthedendriteiscalledasynapse.Messagesjumpthe synapsefromoneneuronetothenext,usingspecialchemicalscalledneurotransmitters. Neurones cant be replaced Unlikeothercellsinthebody,neuronesarenteasilyreplacediftheydieoraredamagedby infectionorinjury. Central nervous system Thebrainandthespinalcordmakeupthecentralnervoussystem.Theyarewrappedinathin liningcalledmeningesandbathedwithcerebrospinalfluid(CSF). The brain Thebrainisthepowerhouseofthebody,eventhoughitonlymakesuptwopercentofthebodys weight.Thissoft,jelly-likeorganhascountlessbillionsofneuralcross-connections.Thebrain overseestheworkingsofthebody,whileitshigherfunctionsgiveusconsciousnessand personality. The spinal cord Thespinalcordisconnectedtothebrainandrunsthelengthofthebody.Itisprotectedbythe bones(vertebrae)ofthespine.Nervesbranchofffromthespinalcordintothearms,legsand torso. The peripheral nervous system Nervesconnectthebrainandspinalcordtotheperipheralnervoussystem,whichiswhatnerve tissueoutsideofthecentralnervoussystemiscalled.Itismadeupoftwomainparts:the autonomicandthesomatic. The autonomic nervous system Theautonomicnervoussystemispartoftheperipheralnervoussystem.Oneofitsmainrolesisto regulateglandsandorganswithoutanyeffortfromourconsciousminds. Theautonomicnervoussystemismadeupoftwoparts:thesympatheticandtheparasympathetic. Thesesystemsactonthebodyinoppositeways.Together,theycoordinateamultitudeof adjustmentsrequiredforourchangingpersonalneedsaswemovethroughourenvironment. Forexample,thesizeofourpupilsisadjustedautomaticallytoallowthecorrectamountoflight intooureyesforoptimumvision;oursweatglandsareturnedonwhenwegettoohot;andour salivaryglandsproducesalivawhenweeatfood(oreventhinkaboutit!). The somatic nervous system

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Nervoussystem

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Thesomaticnervoussystemisalsoapartoftheperipheralnervoussystem.Oneofitsrolesisto relayinformationfromtheeyes,ears,skinandmuscletothecentralnervoussystem(brainand spinalcord).Anotherroleistoobeycommandsfromthecentralnervoussystemandmake musclescontractorrelax,allowingustomove. Common problems Somecommonproblemsofthenervoussysteminclude: Epilepsystormsofabnormalelectricalactivityinthebraincausingseizures. Meningitisinflammationofthemembranecoveringthebrain. Multiple sclerosisthemyelinsheathsprotectingtheelectricalcablesofthecentral nervoussystemareattacked. Parkinsons diseasedeathofneuronesinapartofthebraincalledthemidbrain. Symptomsincludeshakingandproblemswithmovement. Sciaticapressureonanervecausedbyaslippeddiscinthespineorarthritisofthe spineand,sometimes,otherfactors. Shinglesinfectionofsensorynervescausedbythevaricella-zostervirus. Strokealackofbloodtopartofthebrain.

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Thenervoussystemuseselectricalandchemicalmeanstohelpallpartsofthebodyto communicatewitheachother. Thebrainandspinalcordmakeupthecentralnervoussystem. Nerveseverywhereelseinthebodyarepartoftheperipheralnervoussystem.

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Nervoussystem

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