The processor
Each day we are exposed to millions of things, both physically and mentally. From gentle music, while commuting between places to talking to friends; practically anything we do or do is done to us and is made sense of by our body and?mind. Although?the mind is not a tangible entity, it has a physical counterpart. Right from elementary science to higher education we are taught that human beings are the most complex machines and much like every machine we too have a processing unit that controls it all and makes sense of it all; the brain but there’s more to it. Let's look at how.?
(source- anatomylibrary.org)
The brain, the spinal cord, and the nerves along with the chemicals of the body (hormones and neurotransmitters) form the nervous system. It is this system that is essentially the command center of the body; it controls our movements, thoughts, and automatic responses to the world around us. It also controls other body systems and processes, such as digestion, breathing, and sexual development during puberty. The nervous system is divided into two types; the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system comprises the brain and the spinal cord. The nerves stemming from the spinal cord to the rest of the body make up the peripheral nervous system. The nerve cell is the basic unit of the nervous system, the longest cell of the human body.?
(source- c2k)
The brain is the most crucial and the most sensitive organ in a living body. An adult human brain is 1.1kg to 1.3kg in weight and about the same volume as 10 tennis balls. It is roughly as big as two clenched fists. The brain is composed of specialized cells called neurons. The brain is divided into three major parts; cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla each with its own dedicated set of functions. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is the control and coordination hub, alongside being the hub of most of the major cognitive functions like thinking, decision-making, etc. The cerebellum comes to the rescue when the need for balance and proprioception (body localization or to locate our body parts) arises. Despite its small size, the cerebellum holds more than half of the neurons of the whole body. The medulla is the bottom-most part of the brain. Its location is where the brain and the spinal cord connect, making it a key conduit for nerve signals to and from your body. It also helps control processes like your heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, etc, which are essential for life.?
(source-wordpress.com/physionewbies)
The spinal cord is a structure made up of tissues, nerves, and cells that extends from the brain and is further laid out to the lower back. The spinal cord along with its protective bony structure (called the vertebral column) is called the spine. The spinal cord is divided into three parts; cervical (neck), thoracic (chest), and lumbar (lower back). The brain does not work in the singularity. Its control and coordinating functions are accompanied by a spinal cord and an elaborate network of nerves. The nerves emerging from the spinal cord stretch out to every part of the body.??
A nerve is a cable-like structure that is spread across the body and carries nerve impulses. These nerve impulses are a way of communication between different parts of the body including the brain. Much like the contemporary parts of the nervous system (brain and the spinal cord) neurons are the functional unit of the nerves.
(source- lecturio)
?Neuron consist of the following which has their own function:
Each axon of the cell is connected to the dendrite of the preceding cell. The nerve impulse is received from the axon which then travels through the cell body to the tail of the neuron onto the dendrite and is passed on to the axon of the next cell through a tiny gap between an axon and dendrite, called a synapse. This transfer of impulse is assisted by chemical substances in the brain called neurotransmitters which would be elaborated upon further down in the series.?
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