Download THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
The Control Center of the Body
 The nervous system is your body’s control center
 Carries messages to and from your brain and the rest of
your body.
 Controls senses
 Smell, touch, hearing, tasting, and sight
 Controls breathing
 Controls thoughts and movements
 Nervous system can be harmed or permanently
damaged by alcohol use.
Parts of the Nervous System
 Neurons
 Cells that make up your nervous system
 They send and receive messages to and from brain.
 Central Nervous System (CNS)
 Made up of the brain and spinal cord
 Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
 Made up of nerves that connect the CNS to all parts of the body
 Brain
 Is the command center of the nervous system
 Spinal Cord
 Long bundle of neurons that sends messages to and from the
brain.
Problems with the Nervous System
 Injuries
 Physical injury
 Your head, neck, or back could be injured and be very harmful
to your nervous system.
 A spinal cord injury can lead to paralysis.
 This means you cannot move some parts of your body.
 A brain injury can cause brain damage, loss of memory, and loss
of some physical abilities
 Example would be tying you shoes
Problems With the Nervous System
 Disorders
 Multiple sclerosis
 A disorder that attacks the CNS
 Damages the outer part of some nerves
 This causes messages not to be sent properly
 It will affect your thinking and memory
 Cerebral Palsy
 Damage to the brain while the brain is growing
 No cure for either disease.
 Other disorders are
 Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and epilepsy
Infections
 Some viruses cause illnesses that can
harm your nervous system
Examples are polio, ravies, and
meningitis.
 There are vaccines that can protect you
from this.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse
 Alcohol can
 Affect your brain
 Destroy millions of brain cells, which are never replaced
 Affect your thinking and how your body moves.
 Some other drugs can harm the part of the brain that helps
control:
 Breathing, heart rate, and sleeping.
 Some drugs can harm your nervous system so much that
you start imagining objects or lights that aren’t really there
 hallucinating.
Taking Care of Your Nervous System
 Live a healthy lifestyle.
 Eat nutritious foods
 Make sure you get enough rest
 Don’t dive into shallow water
 Get a spotter when lifting heavy weights