 | Nervous system: Encyclopedia - Nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system of an animal coordinates the activity of the muscles, monitors the organs, constructs and processes input from the senses, and initiates actions. Prominent participants in a nervous system include neurons and nerves which play roles in such coordination.
In animals without brains, the nervous system does not generate or conduct thoughts and emotions. Thus it is the system that animates "animals" (sponges are an exception). Chemicals that target the activity of nerves generally are the most rapidly acting toxins, typically causing paralysis and/or death.
Nervous system - Vertebrate nervous systems
The nervous systems of vertebrate animals are often divided into a central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. The PNS consists of all other nerves and neurons that do not lie within the CNS. The large majority of what are commonly called nerves (which are actually axonal processes of nerve cells) are considered to be PNS. The peripheral nervous system is divided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
The somatic nervous system is responsible for coordinating the body's movements, and also for receiving external stimuli. The autonomic nervous system is the involuntary part of the nervous system where all of the internal maintenance is taken care of.
The autonomic nervous system is then divided into the sympathetic division and parasympathetic division. The sympathetic nervous system responds to impending danger or stress, and is responsible for the increase of one's heartbeat and blood pressure, among other physiological changes, along with the sense of excitement one feels due to the increase of adrenaline in the system. The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is evident when a person is resting and feels relaxed, and is responsible for such things as the constriction of the pupil, the slowing of the heart, the dilation of the blood vessels, and the stimulation of the digestive and genitourinary systems.
auditory system, neuroendocrinology, neuroscience, neurotoxin, neural ensemble, olfactory, sensory system, somatic sensation, taste, vision, zootomy
Nervous system - Metabolism of the nervous system
Cells in a nervous system often because of their functions cannot metabolise proteins for energy in cellular respiration, and rely mostly on carbohydrates. If carbohydrates are lacking, the body must break down fat into fatty acids and glycerol, then the fatty acids into ketone bodies the cells can use.
See also
- auditory system
- neuroendocrinology
- neuroscience
- neurotoxin
- neural ensemble
- olfactory
- sensory system
- somatic sensation
- taste
- vision
- zootomy
Brain - Spinal cord - Central nervous system - Peripheral nervous system - Somatic nervous system - Autonomic nervous system - Sympathetic nervous system - Parasympathetic nervous system
Categories: Nervous system | Neuroscience
Other related archivesAutonomic nervous system, Brain, Cells, Central nervous system, Nervous system, Neuroscience, Parasympathetic nervous system, Peripheral nervous system, Somatic nervous system, Spinal cord, Sympathetic nervous system, actions, animal, auditory system, autonomic nervous system, brain, brains, carbohydrates, cellular respiration, central nervous system, energy, fat, fatty acids, genitourinary, glycerol, ketone bodies, metabolise, muscles, nerves, neural ensemble, neuroendocrinology, neurons, neuroscience, neurotoxin, olfactory, organs, paralysis, parasympathetic division, peripheral nervous system, proteins, senses, sensory system, somatic nervous system, somatic sensation, spinal cord, sponges, sympathetic division, taste, toxins, vertebrate, vision, zootomy
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Nervous system", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
