What is the central nervous system's primary job?
1 Answer
Simply put, the central nervous system runs the entire body.
Explanation:
Strictly speaking, I would not say that the central nervous system (CNS) has a primary job. It is so complex and carries out so many critical functions, one cannot really say which is the most important.
I can, however, name several bodily processes in which the central nervous system is a key player.
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Sensory information - save for information that is relayed through spinal reflexes, all of the information picked up in your sensory neurons is relayed to the CNS. The CNS is constantly processing this information and communicating with different sections of the brain to interpret the information being relayed by the sensory neurons.
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Motor function - The primary motor cortex is the section of your brain responsible for muscle movement.
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Homeostasis - a part of your brain known as the hypothalamus controls homeostasis, or rather, a state in which the human body is in equilibrium. For example, if someone feels cold, the hypothalamus senses the drop in temperature and stimulates responses such as shivering to increase body temperature.
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Memory and emotion - this is done through the activity of a CNS structure known as the limbic system.
These examples do not even scratch the surface of all the functions for which the CNS is responsible. It pretty much plays a role in every major bodily function, which is why there are physicians specialized to understanding it!
Hope this helps!
~AP
