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Nervous System

The nervous system is the most intricate and delicate system in the human body. It is a highly specialized set of nerve cells that are responsible for monitoring and directing a vast array of crucial elements such as the five senses, the involuntary and voluntary functions (for example, coordination, balance and blood pressure), as well as the capacity for deliberate thought and reasoning.

The nervous system is divided into two categories: the central and the peripheral nervous systems. The central nervous system is the larger of the two and consists of the brain (located within the skull) and the spinal cord (located within the vertebral column.) It is in charge of controlling how a person receives and processes data, how a person moves, as well as how well the senses function.

The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerve cells that exist outside of the central nervous system (such as those used for extremities and organs) and are used to transmit data from the body to the brain and vice versa. The system is divided into two categories: the somatic and the autonomic nervous systems. The autonomic nervous system is further broken down into three categories: the sympathetic, the parasympathetic and the enteric.

Web Resources On Nervous System

Parts of the Nervous System
Wikipedia: Nervous System

Book Resources On Nervous System

Development of the Nervous System by Dan H. Sanes, et al
The Nervous System by Michael Taussig

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