The nervous system is often divided into two sections: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The central nervous system comprises the brain, the brain stem, spinal cord, the cranial (head) nerves and optic nerve. The peripheral nervous system consists of nerve fibres running through the skin and limbs, which are dependent on nerve cells (neurons) in the central nervous system. These neurons transmit tiny electrical impulses between different parts of the brain and spinal cord, passing them to and from muscles, the skin, body organs and tissues.
The nervous system is responsible for regulating the activities that are under conscious control, such as muscle movement, as well as reflex activities such as digestion, respiration and heart rate.
Conditions that affect the nervous system include headache disorders such as migraine and cluster headache; epilepsy and other seizure disorders; neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Lou Gehrig's disease; cerebrovascular disease, such as transient ischemic attacks and strokes; infections of the brain (encephalitis) or brain meninges (meningitis); demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis; and other infections such as shingles.
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