Cameron KyserBio110 Phase I DPIIColorado Technical UniversityThe central and peripheral nervous systemThe human body is a complex organism, it is composed of numerous individual systems that all work together to maintain the living body. The nervous system is the main system of the body. The nervous system as defined by (Miriam Webster, 2014) is “a system of nerves in the body that sends and receives messages to control movement and sensations between the brain and the rest of the body.” The nervous system is further complex and divided into 2 systems that work together to process and perform all voluntary and involuntary functions. Just like a computer, the body has a central processing unit called the Central Nervous System or CNS. This system consists of 2 main units; the brain and spinal cord. According to the (United States National Library of Medicine, 2014) “they work together and serve as the main “processing center” for the entire nervous system and control all mechanisms of the body.” The brain receives information from a variety of stimuli and uses the spinal cord to send and transmit messages to the peripheral nervous system, or PNS. The main purpose of the peripheral nervous system is to connect the central nervous system to the limbs and organs to carry out commands. The PNS is further divided into 2 systems; the somatic nervous system (voluntary) and the autonomic nervous system (involuntary). These 2 systems process and execute voluntary commands such as walking or speaking and involuntary commands such as breathing and sweating. The central nervous system also functions as a pathway to transmit sensations or stimuli to the central nervous system. Both the central nervous system and the central nervous system communicate via neurons. Neurons are nerve cells made up of den...... middle of paper ......ances. TBI can also have negative effects on cognitive tasks such as speaking, memory, and information processing. A person with this type of injury may have difficulty or cannot communicate a craving for ice cream. Finally, psychological injuries can dramatically change or affect a person's personality. The nervous system plays a crucial role in our daily lives and we often take all its tasks and functions for granted. References Central nervous system: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). United States National Library of Medicine. Retrieved May 22, 2014, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002311.htmNervous System. (n.d.). Inner body. Retrieved May 22, 2014, from http://www.innerbody.com/image/nervov.htmlNervous System. (n.d.). Merriam Webster. Retrieved May 21, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nervous%20system