The nervous system is a specialised network of cells in the human body and is its primary internal communication system.
The nervous system is divided into two parts: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)
The CNS is made up of the brain and spinal cord
The brain is the centre of all conscious awareness and the cerebral cortex, the brain's outer layer, is highly developed in humans. The brain is divided into two hemispheres
The spinal cord is an extension of the brain and is responsible for reflex actions. It passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS
The PNS transmits messages, via millions of neurons (nerve cells) to and from the CNS
The PNS is further divided into the autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system
The autonomic nervous system governs involuntary functions such as breathing, heart rate and stress responses. This is also divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic
the sympathetic is involved in fight or flight
the parasympathetic is known as 'rest and digest'. it slows down our heart rate and breathing rate
The somatic nervous system controls voluntary muscle movement and sensory and motor nerves