Nervous System

The nervous system is composed of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. The brain is the control center and the nerves are the messengers that use chemical and electrical signaling to communicate and regulate body functions. Problems within this complex circuitry can be complicated to diagnose. The nervous system can be divided into two parts: the peripheral nervous system (outside the brain and spinal cord) and the central nervous system, which is the brain and spinal cord’s interface. The peripheral nervous system includes the autonomic (systems in the body that run automatically) and the somatic (those functions you can control). The autonomic system includes the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, which are responsible for two major states, rest and digest or fight and flight, respectively. The signals from these two systems modulate the enteric or gastroenteric nervous systems which regulates the gastrointestinal tract. The enteric (intrinsic) nervous system is sometimes called “the second brain” because it contains hundreds of millions of neurons. Nerves are located throughout the entire body, so nutrition, mindfulness, exercise, and limiting environmental pollutants can all help keep the system operating well. Other techniques to prevent or manage conditions are avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol, wearing helmets during sports, sleeping well, acupuncture, and managing stress. Certain diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, have a genetic cause but lifestyle will strongly influence age of onset and severity.