Nervous System - Get to know our nervous system a bit closer, how does it works? | Neurology

The brain, the body's most sensitive organ, is housed within the skull and is responsible for all bodily functions, from physical activity to emotions and creativity. It is constantly active and never sleeps.

The brain is divided into three main parts: the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. The cerebrum is the largest part, separated into two hemispheres, and each has four lobes (frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal) with distinct functions. The cerebellum controls movement, coordination, and balance. The brain stem (midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata) regulates involuntary actions like breathing and heart rate.

The nervous system is classified into the Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). The CNS comprises the brain and spinal cord. The spinal cord acts as a bridge connecting the brain to the PNS, extending from the medulla oblongata to the lumbar region of the spine.

The PNS is a vast network of nerves throughout the body that communicates with the CNS. It features two-way traffic: sensory (afferent) neurons send signals to the brain (e.g., a hot cup), and motor (efferent) neurons send responses from the brain (e.g., to put the cup down). The PNS consists of 43 pairs of nerves: 12 cranial nerves from the brain and 31 spinal nerves from the spinal cord.

The basic unit of the nervous system is the neuron, a nerve cell that transmits electrical signals. A neuron has three main parts: dendrites (input devices), soma or cell body (contains the nucleus), and axon (output device).