The nervous system is comprised of the
brain, the
spinal cord, and nerves located throughout the body. The nervous system is broken down into two general categories: the central nervous system, which consists of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, which is composed of the network of nerves that joins the brain and the spinal cord to the rest of the body.
The brain serves a myriad of functions. It is the site of thinking and the control center for the rest of the body. The brain is responsible for the body's ability to move, touch, smell,
hear,
speak and
see. The brain is enclosed in the skull, a
bone structure which serves as protection.
The spinal cord carries both incoming and outgoing messages from the brain to the rest of the body. The spinal cord is located at the end of the brain stem and extends down the back. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae of the spinal column.
Injuries to the head and spinal column can be debilitating and fatal. View sub-topics at right to learn more about some specific head, spinal cord, brain & nerve disorders and some of their common causes.
See Also
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) / Lou Gehrig's Disease
- Aseptic Meningitis: Overview
- Demyelination: Overview
- Epilepsy: Overview
- Green Tobacco Sickness: Overview
- Head & Brain Injury
- Head Injury
- Manganism: Overview
- Multiple Sclerosis: Overview
- Peripheral Neuropathy: Overview
- Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome / Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Stroke
- Tardive Dyskinesia
- 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
- 1,1,2-Trichloroethane
- 1,3-Butadiene
- 2000 Lincoln LS Back Seat Latch
- 2004 Hyundai Elantra Airbags
- 2004 I-95 Maryland Tanker Truck Accident
- 2-Butanone
- 2-Hexanone
- Acetone
- Acrylonitrile
- Airbags
- Aldrin / Dieldrin
- AN-1792: Overview
- Barium
- Bellvue, Colorado
- BioGlue: Overview
- Bis(2-chloroethyl) Ether
- Boron
- Bromodichloromethane
- Bromoform and Chlorodibromomethane
- Bromomethane
- Cadmium
- Carbon Disulfide
- Carbon Tetrachloride
- Chlordane
- Chlorfenvinphos
- Chlorinated Dibenzofurans (CDFs)
- Chlorobenzene
- Chloroethane
- DDT Exposure: Overview
- Diethyl Phthalate Exposure: Overview
- Dursban / Baygon / Dragnet
- Enterococcus faecium: Overview
- Felbatol / Felbamate
- Ford Crown Victoria
- Fruit Avenue Plume Site - Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Gas Cans
- Gasoline
- General Motors Vehicles
- Hall Street Plant - Beaverton, Oregon
- Heptachlor and Heptachlor Epoxide
- Hexachlorobenzene
- Hexachlorocyclopentadiene (HCCPD)
- HMX - High Melting eXplosive
- Hydraulic Fluids
- Hydrazines
- Ionizing Radiation
- Isophorone
- Jet fuels JP-4 and JP-7
- Kerosene (Fuel Oils)
- Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse & Falling Merchandise
- Malathion
- Manganese Exposure: Overview
- Methyl Parathion
- Methylene Chloride
- Mirex and Chlordecone
- N-hexane
- Pentachlorophenol
- Perchloroethylene
- Poles, Incorporated - Oldtown, Idaho
- Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
- Royal Demolition eXplosive - RDX
- SCUBA Accidents
- Selenium
- Stoddard Solvent
- Styrene
- Teflon
- Tequin / Gatifloxacin
- Thallium
- Tin
- Toluene
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH)
- Toxaphene
- Toxic Mold
- Trichloroethylene
- Videx / Didanosine
- Vinyl Chloride
- Brain, Spinal Cord, & Nerve Disorders: Frequently Asked Questions