Control & Co-ordination - Assignment Example

The central nervous system gathers information from the peripheral nervous system and analyzes it to create action, and later resends it to the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. These two divisions work together to ensure that the body is able to respond to different internal and external changes and environments. A simplified chart showing the organisation of the nervous system is as shown below (Brelt, 2003). The forebrain is responsible for receiving and processing of detailed and complex sensory information, thought, perceptions and language.

The forebrain is the part of the brain that differentiates the human beings from other organisms. This part of the brain is comprised of the thalamus and the hypothalamus, the cerebrum and cerebral cortex. The thalamus is responsible for sorting and differentiating information and sending/relaying it to the different parts of the fore brain. The hypothalamus controls and monitors activities such as eating, drinking or sexual activity by affecting the endocrine system to produce hormones. The cerebrum forms the largest part of the forebrain and processes information, relaying it to the cerebral cortex.

The cerebral cortex is responsible for speech, grammar, mathematical abilities, non verbal emotions among others (Brelt, 2003). The midbrain is a link between the hind and fore parts of the brain. It relays information between the two brain parts and is responsible with auditory and visual responses such as hearing, sight, and sleep among others. This part of the brain, located just below the cerebral cortex is the smallest as compared to the forebrain and the hindbrain. The hindbrain is located at the rear of the skull and is comprised of the medulla oblongata, the cerebellum and the pons.

The medulla oblongata controls activities such as breathing and posture whereas the