Functions and Roles of the Nervous System

Human Cognitive Functions 1
FUNCTIONS AND ROLES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
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Human Cognitive Functions 2
Task 1
Functions and role of the nervous system
The Nervous System
The nervous system is responsible for the
sensory functions in the human body. The
functioning of the nervous system involves
the collection of the information from the
peripheral sensory receptors which monitors
both internal and external conditions of the
body. (Schafer and Stevens, 2015). The
signals are transmitted from the peripheral
nervous system to the brain for processing
by the afferent nerves. The central nervous
system includes; the spinal cord, Autonomic
Nervous System (ANS), brain,
neurotransmitters and the neurons (Colonna,
and Butovsky, 2017).
The brain

Human Cognitive Functions 3
The main functions of the brainstem include;
to relay the information between the body
and the brain, performs a critical function in
controlling the human breathing,
consciousness and the heart, the brain
processes sensory information, and
regulation of blood pressure. The cerebellum
parts of the brain control balance and
coordination (Prossin et al, 2016).
Spinal cord
The spinal cord connects the large portion of
the peripheral and the central nervous
system. The nerve impulse or the
information are transmitted into the brain by
the spinal cord through the sensory neurons.
It pays the function of electric
communication where the electric currents
are conveyed up and down the cord sending
signals and allowing the communication
between the brain and other segments body
segments. The central pattern generators of
the spinal cord which consist of nerves send
signals to the leg’s muscles to allow them to
contract and extend activating the action of
taking step after step. Reflexes are also
involuntary responses due to a stimulus that
involves the nerves of the peripheral nervous
system, brain and the spinal cord (Old, Clark
and Malcangio, 2015).
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
The ANS system acts mainly unconsciously
regulating body functions such as digestion,
papillary response, sexual arousal, urination,
heart rate, and respiratory rate. It also
coordinates and controls the mechanism of
fight or flight response. The ANS system
has a sympathetic division that maintains the
homeostasis of the internal organ and
initiates the response of stress (Gordan,
Gwathmey and Xie, 2015).
Neurons
Also called nerve cells or neurons are
electrically excitable in the nervous system
which plays a role in processing and
transmitting the information. Within the

Human Cognitive Functions 4
bodies of the vertebral animals, the neurons
are the core components of the spinal cord,
brain and the peripheral nerves (Sweeney,
Ayyadurai and Zlokovic, 2016).
Neurotransmitters
They are endogenous chemicals which
enhances the neurotransmission. It is the
chemical messenger that conveys signals
across the chemical synapse like
neuromuscular junction and from one
neuron to another muscle cell or targeted
neuron (Kavalali, 2015).
Effects of Stroke in the nervous system
The nervous system comprises of two major
parts; the central nervous system and the
peripheral nervous system (nerves
connecting to other body parts). The effect
of stroke in the body depends on various
factors; the location of the obstruction and
the extent of the brain tissue affected (Berti,
Garbarini and Neppi-Modona, 2015).
. For one side of the body is controlled by
the opposite side of the brain, when stroke
affects one side results to neurological
complications on the side of the human body
its effect. Depending on the injury severity,
a stroke may affect both sides of the body
making the victim to be in a “lock-state.” In
such a state one is generally unable to
converse or make any movement below the
neck. A stroke occurs when the blood is
unable to reach either both sides of the brain
or a particular region of the brain which
controls a particular body functions, and this
leads to non-functioning of the part or both
sides. If the stroke affects at the back of the
brain, it will result in vision disability. When
an individual has a stroke, the nerve cells in
the brain became wounded, and the blood
that carries the oxygen to the brain is
disconnected such that some part of the
brain is unable to get supplied with oxygen.
The brain cells get damaged due to lack of
oxygen and can die if they are left without