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Dictionary » Nervous system

Nervous system

Introduction: Nervous system

Description of Nervous system

Nervous system: [TA] the entire nerve apparatus, composed of a central part (the brain and spinal cord) and a peripheral part (the cranial and spinal nerves, autonomic ganglia, plexuses and peripheral nerves). SYN: systema nervosum [TA].
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Nervous system: the sensory and control apparatus consisting of a network of nerve cells.
Source: WordNet 2.1

Nervous system: entire nerve apparatus; in higher animals it is composed of a central part, the brain and spinal cord, and a peripheral part, the cranial and spinal nerves, autonomic ganglia, and plexuses.
Source: CRISP

Nervous system: The entire nerve apparatus, composed of a central part, the brain and spinal cord, and a peripheral part, the cranial and spinal nerves, autonomic ganglia, and plexuses. (Stedman, 26th ed).
Source: MESH OBO (Open Biomedical Ontologies)

Nervous system: Related Topics

These medical condition or symptom topics may be relevant to medical information for Nervous system:

Nervous (72 causes)
System

Nervous system as an Organ

Nervous system (organ): The nervous system includes the structures and substances of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. The nervous system is responsible for a large variety of functions throughout the body and controls how the body systems react and work with each other. The nervous system does this by receiving and sending messages through nerve impulses. The nervous system interacts and works together with every other system in the body, including the musculoskeletal system, genitourinary system, circulatory system, immune system, respiratory system, digestive system and endocrine system. The nervous system includes the autonomic nervous system, the central nervous system, and the peripheral nervous system.

Nervous system (organ): The central nervous system (CNS) refers to the brain and spinal cord together. The peripheral nervous system refers to the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral nerve trunks leading away from the spine to the limbs. Messages related to function (such as movement) or dysfunction (such as pain) travel from the brain to the spinal cord and from there to other regions in the body and back to the brain again. The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions in the body, like perspiration, blood pressure, heart rate, or heart beat. It is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems have links to important organs and systems in the body; for example, the sympathetic nervous system controls the heart, blood vessels, and respiratory system, while the parasympathetic nervous system controls our ability to sleep, eat, and digest food.

The peripheral nervous system also includes 12 pairs of cranial nerves located on the underside of the brain. Most relay messages of a sensory nature. They include the olfactory (I), optic (II), oculomotor (III), trochlear (IV), trigeminal (V), abducens (VI), facial (VII), vestibulocochlear (VIII), glossopharyngeal (IX), vagus (X), accessory (XI), and hypoglossal (XII) nerves. Neuralgia, as in trigeminal neuralgia, is a term that refers to pain that arises from abnormal activity of a nerve trunk or its branches. The type and severity of pain associated with neuralgia vary widely. (Source: excerpt from Pain - Hope Through Research: NINDS)

Nervous system (organ): See Nervous system (organ information).

More information on organs: Nervous system: