The Brain/Central Nervous System:
Your body’s command center
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The human brain/central nervous system allows us to perform complex higher reasoning, is essential to speech, and enables us to learn and store memories for retrieval later.
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Your brain and nervous system act very much like a computer. Groups of nerve endings - called sensory receptors - act as the computer’s input device, like a keyboard or mouse. These receptors are found in our fingertips, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and other areas. They receive input of, for instance, the information contained within a photograph - and send it along nerves to the computer’s central processing unit - the brain - for processing and interpretation.
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Each section of the brain has its own duties. For instance, one area of the brain, called the brain stem, is responsible for the actions that our bodies perform without conscious effort, like breathing and our heartbeat. Another section of the brain deciphers the visual input which the eyes send. Still another area stores memories. So, you may see a photograph of someone you know, yet not instantly remember why you know the person… because one section of the brain hasn’t processed the information as quickly as another section.
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The peripheral nervous system includes all the nerves that extend from the spinal cord and brain to other body parts. These nerves link the sensory receptors, brain, and spinal cord in a complex communications network, just like computers use phone lines to connect to the internet.
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Your nervous system releases special chemicals called neurotransmitters. These important substances are vital for nervous system function. When your body regulates these substances properly, it works at peak performance. A perfect balance of neurotransmitters supports our sense of well-being and promotes mental altertness.
