Your nervous
system is typically divided into two sections; the central nervous
system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) (we also have a third
part called the enteric nervous system). The central nervous system is
made up of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system
basically consists of everything else, but is further divided into the
somatic and the autonomic nervous systems.
Central Nervous System
The
brain and spinal cord are what we typically think of as the nervous
system. They both are encapsulated and protected by bone. The brain is
considered the control center of the body. The spinal cord is the is
the main line or connection from the brain to the rest of the body.
Think of your brain as a mega, super computer, and the spinal cord as a
fiber optic cable bundle. The spinal cord is our life line. Without it
the brain loses much of it’s communication with the rest of the body.
There are also reflexes that occur in our spinal cord that are
essential for our body to function.
Your brain is approximately
three pounds of soft, gray matter divided down the middle into two
halves. Your brain is approximately 80 percent water. The brain
accounts for about 2 percent of the body’s weight, yet it receives
approximately 20% of total body oxygen consumption, 15% of the cardiac
output, and 25% of total body glucose utilization. The central nervous
system contains more than 100 billion neurons and processes millions of
bits of information every second. The brain is broken up into parts for
study and diagnostic purposes, but it functions as one amazing
structure.
The brain is responsible functions such as;
perception, attention, memory, emotion, learning, coordination of
sensory systems, respiration, fine motor skills, walking, vision,
hearing, smell, blood pressure, fluid balance, reading, body
temperature, respiration, heart rate and much more. The brain does
millions of functions at any given time just to keep us alive. The
brain truly amazing, but there is one area of the brain is particularly
important for pain relief. This area is called the frontal lobe.
The
frontal lobe (pre-frontal cortex) is the general area of brain that has
been found to play a role in the “executive functions” of the entire
nervous system. The centers for judgment, speech, emotions, complex
thought, language, memory, motor function, socialization, planning,
personality, sensory functions and behavior are all located in the
frontal lobe. This area has the ability to override and suppress or
stimulate other areas of the nervous and endocrine systems. There is
also a rich neuronal input from the alert centers of the brain-stem,
and limbic regions. So this is the central command center for the whole body.
Peripheral Nervous System
The
peripheral nervous system (PNS) for the most part consists of
everything except the brain and spinal cord. The PNS transmits messages
to and from the central nervous system.
It is further divided
into the somatic and the autonomic nervous systems. The somatic nervous
system is responsible for carrying sensory information from the body to
the brain and coordinating movement. It is the system that regulates
activities that are under conscious control by the brain, in other
words we have some control over it. Theses nerves relay orders from the
brain to the body or transmit sensory information to the brain from the
body.
The autonomic nervous system regulates activities
unconsciously or without us knowing about it. The autonomic nervous
system is split into 3 divisions; the sympathetic division,
parasympathetic division, and enteric division. The sympathetic nervous
system responds to danger or stress, and is responsible for increased
heart rate, 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. The role of the enteric nervous
system is to manage every aspect of digestion, from the esophagus to
the stomach, small intestine and colon.
Functional Overview
It
is important to point out that although we divide the body and the
nervous system into parts to better understand anatomy, physiology and
disease. In reality the nervous system and body function as one
complete system. With your nervous system having constant communication
and feedback with virtually every aspect of your body. Your brain also
catalogs or saves information and memories to make future decisions.
The
more you learn about the nervous system, the more amazed and impressed
you will be. The brain is the central command center for most of your
bodily processes. Everything that you see, feel, hear, smell, taste,
touch or think is brought to the attention of the brain. This includes
pain. Your brain tells you about the different aspects of pain
including location, severity, frequency, and different qualities of
pain. Since the brain controls our perception of pain, you are able
use your brain to influence pain. Specific areas of the nervous
system that deal with pain have been studied and identified. Theses
areas include the pain receptors, nerves that carry pain, reflexes in
the spinal cord and areas of the brain that deal with pain.
In our
nervous system different types of receptors provide us with
information. Such as touch, smell, vision, balance, taste, pressure,
pain, and many other “feelings”. These receptors send information using
peripheral nerves (wires) to the spinal cord (the main wire). Once in
the spinal cord, reflexes occur and the information continues up the
spinal cord to the brain. In the brain the information is received and
relayed to different areas within brain. All this occurs in a fraction
of a second, without us even thinking about it. The message is
delivered, interpreted and then acted upon. The brain is able to
modulate all the varieties of sensations based on
The nervous
system can also “predict” or anticipate different sensations. For
instance, you think a cup has orange juice in it and pick the cup up to
drink it. Instead of orange juice the cup has milk in it. Your brain
predicts the taste of orange juice and for a split second the milk
tastes like orange juice . Another example is when you smell some food
that makes your mouth “water” (secrets saliva) preparing to eat. Or, if
get an injection and see the needle coming, you may feel the “prick”
before the needle even touches your skin.
Another fascinating
thing about the brain is that it catalogs all life experiences whether
real or observed. Your brain does not differentiate between watching
something on television, and an actual experience. Your brain still
catalogs it for information purposes to be recalled at a later date.
How many times have you heard, “well I saw it on TV.”? This is why it
is important to guard what we think, see and hear to prevent negative
mental programming.
The “hard wired” view of the nervous system
is very practical for learning, but is not correct. In reality, the
nervous system is very complicated and dynamic. The nervous system is
obsessed with stimulation, adaptation and efficiency. For example; the
more you play the piano, kick a soccer ball, shoot a basketball, read
brail, ride a bike, drive a car or thousands of other things, the more
your brain learns. The brain learns things so well that an activity can
be “trained” to be perform on auto pilot. Have you ever driven home
without thinking about the roads to take, or you typed without looking
at the keys? We develop habits and addictions all the time and do not
even know it. Some habits are good for us and some habits are bad for
us.
We know that the brain catalogs and organizes your
experiences, sensations, emotions, and thoughts. The brain uses this
information for responses to future events, and over time can develop
habits or addictions. Your brain may also use the stored information to
predict or anticipate future events. The brain does all this
automatically and instinctively. The frontal lobe is the area of the
brain that give you the conscious ability to override the body’s
unconscious responses, reflexes, habits, or additions. You have the
power to be in control, but you must consciously work to make changes.
Review
1. You and your body are amazing.
2. Simply - Our nervous system includes our brain, spinal cord, nerves, and receptors.
3. Our nervous system is one of the most amazing and complicated structure in the Universe.
4.
The brain and nervous system remains a dynamic structure that alters
from year-to-year, day-to-day, even moment-to-moment over our lifespan.
5. The brain catalogs and organizes ALL your experiences,
sensations, emotions, and thoughts. It uses this information / data to
make future decisions.
6. The frontal lobe (pre-frontal cortex) is the general area of brain that has
been found to play a role in the “executive functions” of the entire
nervous system.
7.
The “hard wired” view of the nervous system is very practical for
learning, but is not correct. In reality, the nervous system is very
complicated and dynamic (plastic). The
nervous system is obsessed with stimulation, adaptation and efficiency.
8. The brain catalogs and organizes your
experiences, sensations, emotions, and thoughts. The brain uses this
information for responses to future events
