introduction

The nervous system is the part of an animal that coordinates

its actions by transmitting signals to and from different parts of
its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes
that impact the body, then works in tandem with the
endocrine system to respond to such events.[1] Nervous tissue
first arose in wormlike organisms about 550 to 600 million
years ago. In vertebrates it consists of two main parts, the
central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous
system (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord.
The PNS consists mainly of nerves, which are enclosed bundles
of the long fibers or axons, that connect the CNS to every other
part of the body. Nerves that transmit signals from the brain
are called motor or efferent nerves, while those nerves that
transmit information from the body to the CNS are called
sensory or afferent. Spinal nerves serve both functions and are
called mixed nerves. The PNS is divided into three separate
subsystems, the somatic, autonomic, and enteric nervous
systems. Somatic nerves mediate voluntary movement. The
autonomic nervous system is further subdivided into the
sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. The
sympathetic nervous system is activated in cases of
emergencies to mobilize energy, while the parasympathetic
nervous system is activated when organisms are in a related
state.
Neuron
The nervous system derives its name from nerves, which
are cylindrical bundles of fibers (the axons of neurons),
that emanate from the brain and spinal cord, and branch
repeatedly to innervate every part of the body. The
nervous system is defined by the presence of a special
type of cell—the neuron (sometimes called "neurone" or
"nerve cell").[4] Neurons can be distinguished from other
cells in a number of ways, but their most fundamental
property is that they communicate with other cells via
synapses, which are membrane-to-membrane junctions
containing molecular machinery that allows rapid
transmission of signals, either electrical or chemical. [4]
Many types of neuron possess an axon, a protoplasmic
protrusion that can extend to distant parts of the body
and make thousands of synaptic contacts;[12] axons
typically extend throughout the body in bundles called
nerves.
Structure of a neuron
Function
At the most basic level, the function of the nervous system is
to send signals from one cell to others, or from one part of the
body to others. There are multiple ways that a cell can send
signals to other cells. One is by releasing chemicals called
hormones into the internal circulation, so that they can diffuse
to distant sites. In contrast to this "broadcast" mode of
signaling, the nervous system provides "point-to-point"
signals—neurons project their axons to specific target areas
and make synaptic connections with specific target cells. [35]
Thus, neural signaling is capable of a much higher level of
specificity than hormonal signaling. It is also much faster: the
fastest nerve signals travel at speeds that exceed 100 meters
per second.
At a more integrative level, the primary function of the
nervous system is to control the body.[4] It does this by
extracting information from the environment using sensory
receptors, sending signals that encode this information into
the central nervous system, processing the information to
determine an appropriate response, and sending output signals
to muscles or glands to activate the response. The evolution of
a complex nervous system has made it possible for various
animal species to have advanced perception abilities such as
vision, complex social interactions, rapid coordination of
organ systems, and integrated processing of concurrent
signals. In humans, the sophistication of the nervous system
makes it possible to have language, abstract representation of
concepts, transmission of culture, and many other features of
human society that would not exist without the human brain.
Diseases of the nervous system
"Of all the diseases of the nervous system, the most common
difficulty that people have is pain, and much of that is nerve-
related," according to Dr. Shai Gozani, founder and CEO of
NeuroMetrix, a medical device company. "There are 100
million people who live with chronic pain."
According to the Mayo Clinic, patients with nerve
disorders experience functional difficulties, which result in
conditions such as:
 Epilepsy, in which abnormal electrical discharges from
brain cells cause seizures 
 Parkinson's disease, which is a progressive nerve disease
that affects movement
 Multiple sclerosis (MS), in which the protective lining of
the nerves is attacked by the body's immune system
 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou
Gehrig's disease, is a motor neuron disease which
weakens the muscles and progressively hampers physical
function
 Huntington's disease, which is an inherited condition that
cause the nerve cells in the brain to degenerate
 Alzheimer's disease, which covers a wide range of
disorders that impacts mental functions, particularly
memory. 

Divisions of the Nervous System

Central Nervous System
The brain and spinal cord together form the central nervous
system, or CNS. The CNS acts as the control center of the
body by providing its processing, memory, and regulation
systems. The CNS takes in all of the conscious and
subconscious sensory information from the body’s sensory
receptors to stay aware of the body’s internal and external
conditions. Using this sensory information, it makes decisions
about both conscious and subconscious actions to take to
maintain the body’s homeostasis and ensure its survival. The
CNS is also responsible for the higher functions of the
nervous system such as language, creativity, expression,
emotions, and personality. The brain is the seat of
consciousness and determines who we are as individuals.
Peripheral Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes all of the parts
of the nervous system outside of the brain and spinal cord.
These parts include all of the cranial and spinal nerves,
ganglia, and sensory receptors.
Somatic Nervous System
The somatic nervous system (SNS) is a division of the PNS
that includes all of the voluntary efferent neurons. The SNS is
the only consciously controlled part of the PNS and is
responsible for stimulating skeletal muscles in the body.
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a division of the
PNS that includes all of the involuntary efferent neurons. The
ANS controls subconscious effectors such as visceral muscle
tissue, cardiac muscle tissue, and glandular tissue.
There are 2 divisions of the autonomic nervous system in the
body: the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.
 Sympathetic. The sympathetic division forms the body’s
“fight or flight” response to stress, danger, excitement,
exercise, emotions, and embarrassment. The sympathetic
division increases respiration and heart rate, releases
 adrenaline and other stress hormones, and decreases
digestion to cope with these situations.
 Parasympathetic. The parasympathetic division forms
the body’s “rest and digest” response when the body is
relaxed, resting, or feeding. The parasympathetic works
to undo the work of the sympathetic division after a
stressful situation. Among other functions, the
parasympathetic division works to decrease respiration
and heart rate, increase digestion, and permit the
elimination of wastes.