Reflection – Central Nervous System 1|Course hero helper

The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is the primary control center that processes and integrates information from the sensory neurons and initiates responses through the motor neurons. The spinal cord acts as a conduit for transmitting information between the brain and the periphery. The nervous system is responsible for receiving and processing sensory information, generating thoughts and emotions, and coordinating movement.

In terms of anatomy, the CNS can be divided into several functional regions, including the brainstem, cerebellum, basal ganglia, thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex. Each of these regions is responsible for specific functions such as regulation of autonomic functions, movement coordination, sensation, and higher cognitive processes.

Physiologically, the CNS operates by transmitting signals between neurons through the use of electrical and chemical signals. The electrical signals, known as action potentials, are generated by the movement of ions across the neuron’s membrane, while chemical signals, known as neurotransmitters, are released by the presynaptic neuron and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. The neurotransmitters can either excite or inhibit the postsynaptic neuron, leading to the generation of an action potential or not. The interaction between neurons in the CNS forms the basis of all neural processing and behavior.