The most important functions within the nervous system and explain these functions

The nervous system is a complex structure which plays and essential role in controlling and regulating functions and activities. Its primary functions can be categorized into several key areas:

 1. Sensory Function

 Description:

 Sensory function of the nervous system is with regard to the capacity of the system for perceiving stimuli from the environment as well as the internal milieu of the body. Receptors in the sensory organs of the body capture stimuli from light, sound, touch, heat and chemical among others.

 How It Works:

 Receptors: Some cells or structures are specialized to detect specific type of stimulus (for instance photoreceptor cells in the eye or the mechanoreceptors in the skin).

 Sensory Neurons: Conduct impulses from the receptors of the body to the central nervous system through the afferent pathways.

 Processing: The CNS combines this information and presents perception of sensations which is the perception of sensations.

 Examples:

 Vision: The light which is incident on the photoreceptors in the retina is sent to the visual cortex to create the images that are perceived.

 Touch: Among the skin receptors which are known to be responsive to pressure and thermal changes are the tactile receptors which yield touch and texture sensations.

 2. Motor Function

 Description:

 Motor function means the beginning and regulation of the voluntary and the involuntary movements. It is involved in the activation of muscle and gland through the signals which are relayed from the CNS.

 How It Works:

 Motor Neurons: It transmits signals from the CNS to muscles and glands in order to enable movement and other actions within the body.

 Efferent Pathways: This pathways transmit motor signal from the CNS to the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

 Effectors: Thus, muscles and glands execute these signals through contraction of muscles or secretion of some substance.

 Examples:

 Voluntary Movements: The activities are walking, writing or even the act of speaking and all these activities use the skeletal muscles.

 Involuntary Movements: Automatic responses such as the stretch reflex such as the patella reflex or the capacity to control the rate of the heart during stress for instance.

 3. Integrative Function

 Description:

 The integrative function is the integration of the stimuli and the generation of meanings, decision and action. This function helps in the demonstration of different behaviours, thoughts and in the regulation of the internal environment of the body.

 How It Works:

 Central Nervous System (CNS): Includes the Central Nervous System which is the brain and spinal cord that is used in the processing of sensations and decision making.

 Neural Networks: The neurons within the CNS interconnect in such a way as to allow for perception, thought and co-ordinated response.

 Examples:

 Decision Making: The brain uses the input that it gets from the environment and applies it so as to determine the right action to be taken.

 Memory: Some information is stored and retrieved from different areas of the brain and as such has a direct bearing on learning and behavior.

 4. Homeostatic Regulation

 Description:

 The nervous system is in a position to regulate and integrate almost all the activities of the body in order to sustain the normal status of the physiological variables of the body.

 How It Works:

 Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): A division of the PNS that is involved in the regulation of automatic processes of the body inclusive of heart rate, digestion and respiratory rate.

 Feedback Mechanisms: The ANS functions in response to the information received from the body in regard to its functions and requirements.

 Examples:

 Temperature Regulation: Nervous system also plays part in the control of heat by making the body to produce sweat when the temperature is high or make the body to shiver when it is cold.

 Blood Pressure: Nervous system is responsible for controlling the blood Pressure by controlling the diameter of the blood vessels and the beating rate of the heart.

 5. Cognitive and Emotional Functions

 Description:

 Nervous system is very essential in brain activities such as thinking, learning and the control of emotions. These functions are mainly influenced by the higher cerebral centres of the brain.

 How It Works:

 Cortex: Cerebral Cortex has several sections of the brain that has different functions such as reasoning, language and even emotions.

 Limbic System: Is involved in the regulation of emotions and the formation of memory

 Examples:

 Emotions: The limbic system it self is involved in processing for emotion and controlling behavior in relation to the emotional stimuli.

 Cognition: The frontal lobes of brain are used in the aspects of planning, problem solving and decision making.

 Summary

 The nervous system performs several vital functions:The following are some of the functions of the nervous system:

 Sensory Function: Recognise and discuss the stimulus in the environment.

 Motor Function: Is in charge of the voluntary and involuntary aspect of the body that is the muscular and glandular system.

 Integrative Function: Perceives and interprets the stimuli to come up with decisions and actions to be taken.

 Homeostatic Regulation: It is useful in regulating internal environment of the body and playing a part in homeostatic mechanisms.

 Cognitive and Emotional Functions: Regulates the cognitive and perceptual processes, the learning processes, and the affective processes, and other higher order processes.