Hello friends! In this blog, we learn: What is the nervous system and its function? nervous system is the most important control centre of the human body. It is like an internet that connects every part of your body to the powerful brain at its centre.
The nerves carry information from the skin, eyes, ears, mouth and other parts of the body telling the brain what is going on outside the body. They also control our heartbeat and blood sugar levels and send signals to the brain when we need food and drink. So, let us begin to learn What is the nervous system and its function? in detail
What is the nervous system and its function?
The nervous system is made up of special cells called neurons, or nerve cells. The nervous system helps us react to our surroundings. It also helps us to think, learn and remember things. The nervous system consists of three main parts:
Brain : It acts like a computer
The spinal cord : It acts like a thick cable.
The Nerves : They act like thin wires connecting everything in our body to our brain.
The Brain
The brain is not simply a part of our body, it is made up of millions of cells. It is the central control system of our body. The brain weighs about 1380 grams in a man and about 1250 grams in a woman. The skull is about half a centimetre thick. The brain needs 20% of the oxygen we breathe. A clear liquid is present between the skull and the brain, which cushions the brain from heavy blows and jerks.
The brain consists of three main parts. They are Cerebrum, Cerebellum and Medulla.
Cerebrum (Great Brain):
Cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is the are where all the sensory impulses (signals) are received and dispatched. It is responsible for learning, memory, intelligence and various emotions such as sorrow, joy, etc. So, it helps in solving maths problems, puzzles and learning computer etc.
Cerebellum (Small Brain)
Belw the cerebrum lies the cerebellum. It controls the muscles and balance the body movements. It enables us to keep our body in an upright posture. It also helps in walking, running, dancing etc.
The Medulla
Medulla lies below the cerebrum and the cerebellum. It has a bulb-shaped structure connecting the brain to the spinal cord. It works all the twenty four hours and controls the heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure and other involuntary actions. The brain needs a good supply of oxygen and adequate sleep to function well.
The Spinal Cord
The spinal cord is a thick cord of nerve tissue. It is protected by the backbone. The spinal cord transfers information between the brain and the rest of the body. Sometimes, it even controls actions that do not involve the brain. Such actions are called spinal reflexes.
Reflex Action
An Instant reaction shown by the body to protect oneself from individual has no control. We are quite unconscious of most of our reflex actions. The automatic actions are controlled by the spinal cord. If nerves in the finger detect pain, messages are sent up by the arm to the spine which are the main messages to the brain. The messages quickly proceed in the brain and a signal is sent to the arm muscles to move the arm away.
The Nerves
Nerves are like telephone wires that link the body organs and muscles to the brain and the spinal cord. Nerves are made up of nerve cells. These are three types of nerves. They are :
Sensory Nerves : These nerves carry messages from the sense organs to the brain or spinal cord. The brain tells the sense organs what they see, hear, smell and feel.
Motor Nerve : These nerves carry messages from the brain to the muscles and glands.
Mixed Nerves : These nerves send messages to the brain as well as carry signals from the brain to muscles and other parts of the body.
Sense Organs
The sense organs help us to know the world around us. The sense organs of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch are like our windows to the outside world. Without them, our life would have been very dull.
The Eyes
The eye is a vital sense organ in a man’s body. It is the organ of sight. It is as large as a table tennis ball. Each eye ball is safely set in a deep bony socket. The coloured circle in the eye is called the iris. In the centre of the iris there is a hold called the pupil. The pupil allows the light to enter the eye. The eye is joined to the brain by a sensory nerve called the nerve. The optic nerve carries the message to the brain. The brain in turn recognizes the object seen.
Cares of the Eyes :
Good eyesight is the greatest gift of God to man. We must protect our eyes at any cost. Remember the following.
- Wash your eyes with clean water as often as you can.
- Do not read in very dim or very bright light.
- Do not hold the book very close to the eyes. Hold the book about 30cm from your eyes.
- Do not read while you are in a moving vehicle. You will strain your eyes.
The Ears
Ears are the sense organs which help us to hear the sound around us. Ears also help us to keep our balance. The ear has three major aprts outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. In mammals, the outer ear is just an external flap called a pinna.
Care of the Ears
- Do not clean your ears with a hairpin, match or any other sharp thing.
- Dry your ears with a soft cloth or an ear bud after a bath.
- Keep away from loud speakers and harsh sound.
The Nose
The nose helps us to smell a variety of objects from fragrant perfumes to stinking drains. The cavity present in the nose is called the nasal cavity. The nasal cavity is divided into two nostrils. Inside the nasal cavity there are sensory nerves which carry the smell to the brain.
Care of the Nose:
- Do not put any object into your nasal cavity.
- Use a clean handkerchief to cover your nose while sneezing.
- Always breathe through your nose.
The Tongue
The tongue performs three actions namely tasting, eating and speaking. It is an organ made up of muscles. The tongue has near about ten thousands of tiny taste buds on it. The taste buds helps us to know the taste of our food. Sweet and salty tastes are sensed at the top of the tongue. The bitter tastes are sensed at the middle of the tongue which sour, tastes are sensed at the sides of the tongue.
Care of the Tongue
- Clean your tongue with a tongue cleaner after brushing every morning.
- Do not eat or drink too hot or too cold things.
The Skin
The largest sense organ in our body is the skin. It is the outermost covering of our body. The skin has millions of nerve endings which help you to feel sensations such as : touch, heat, cold, pain and pressure. Sweating is essential because it maintains the body temperatuer at a steady level.
Care of the Skin
- Take a bath every day.
- Use a mild soap and warm water to wash our body.
- Wear clean clothers.
- Drink plenty of water.
Conclusion:
Finally, we have learned about What is the nervous system and its function? if you have any query regarding this blog please comment to us we will try to respond as soon. We try to cover all the topics related to our question What is the nervous system and its function? but still you have any query please comment us. Thanks.
Read More Blog Post HERE
Subsribe Our Whatsapp Channel HERE
For more information on Youtube Subscribe our Channel