What are the three main functions of the central nervous system?
The three main functions of your central nervous system are to:
- Receive sensory information.
- Process the information it receives (integration).
- Respond with motor output.
After your brain gets and understands the data collected by your sensory neurons (nerve cells), it sends an electrical signal through your spinal cord to your muscles and glands to create a motor output. An example of this process is wanting to walk across the room. Your brain sends a signal through your spinal cord to the muscles in your legs. Your muscles react to this signal and allow you to complete the action (motor output) of walking.
How does the central nervous system work?
Your brain regulates your thoughts, feelings and movements. It manages the things you do, like bending your fingers, learning and communicating. It also manages how your organs function by telling you to breathe and digest food. You likely don’t think about these things, but your CNS does.
This process works by sending messages through your nervous system. Your brain creates a message. It sends that message (signal) to your spinal cord. Your spinal cord sends the message to your nerves (peripheral nervous system) to complete an action. Signals travel to and from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body constantly to keep your body functioning.
