My body’s control center
My brain is the control center of my body. I have one brain. It is in my
skull.
My spinal cord is the path along which most messages move to and from my
brain. I have one spinal cord. It is in my spine.
Nerves lead from my muscles and organs to my spinal cord. There are many
thousands of nerves all over my body.
My nerves carry messages from my brain to my arms and legs, fingers and
toes, and so I am able to move.
My nerves also carry messages about heat and cold and pain to my brain.
I know when I am using some nerves. Other nerves are always at work even
though I don’t know it. They carry messages between my brain and my
heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, and other organs. My brain keeps
these organs working all the time. Even if I tried to stop my heart or
lungs, I could not.
Special nerves carry information from my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth to
my brain. My brain tells me about them.
Boys and girls have the same kinds of nerves in their bodies. In the
picture, some are shown in the girl and some in the boy so they can be
seen more clearly.
