50+ Interesting Facts about the Nervous System [Fact Cards]

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Like a superhero, the nervous system works behind the scenes to make our bodies move, feel, and think. It’s like the commander-in-chief of our bodies, sending messages faster than a speeding bullet! Want to learn more about the nervous system then check out these facts about the Nervous System.

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Your nervous system is like a big network of roads and highways inside your body. Instead of cars and trucks, it uses special cells called neurons to carry messages. These messages are like super-fast text messages that travel from your brain to the rest of your body. When you want to wiggle your fingers, jump, or even smile, your nervous system helps make it happen!

The most important part of the nervous system is the brain. Think of your brain as the boss of the whole operation. It’s like the control center that tells your body what to do. But here’s a fun fact: Did you know that your brain is super intelligent? It has more connections than all the stars in the galaxy! That’s why you can learn new things, remember your favorite song lyrics, and even dream about flying in space.

But wait, there’s more! Your nervous system also has a sidekick called the spinal cord. It’s like a long, skinny road that runs down your back. The spinal cord helps the brain communicate with the rest of your body. So when you touch something hot, your hand quickly moves away because your spinal cord sends a message to your brain, saying, “Ouch, that’s hot!” It’s like having a built-in safety system.

So, get ready to embark on a journey through the incredible world of the nervous system. From the brain to the spinal cord, and all those speedy messages in between, you’re about to discover how this amazing system helps you move, feel, and think daily!

Interesting Facts about the Nervous System

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  1. Every person’s body contains billions of nerve cells (neurons).
  2. The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest single nerve in the human body.
  3. The basic unit of the nervous system is the neuron. These specialized cells have a cell body or soma, axons, and dendrites.
  4.  The average human brain contains about 86 billion neurons.
  5. The nervous system can transmit signals at speeds of 328 feet (100 meters) per second, more than 8 times faster than the top speed of Usain Bolt.
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  1. If we lined up all the neurons in our body it would be around 599 miles long.
  2. A newborn baby’s brain almost triples in size during the course of its first year.
  3. There are two parts to the nervous system: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
  4. The size of the nervous system ranges from a few hundred cells in the simplest worms to around 300 billion cells in African elephants.
  5. The human brain weighs about 3 lbs (1.4 kg or 1336 grams).
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  1. The neuron consists of long cables-like extensions that protrude from its body termed axons and short, thick extensions termed dendrites.
  2. Neurons receive signals in a short antennae-like part called the dendrite and send signals to other neurons with a long cable-like part called the axon. An axon can be up to a meter long.
  3. Vitamin B, Sodium, proteins, and other mineral ions, including potassium, magnesium, and calcium ions, are equally essential nutrients required for maintaining the healthy and proper functioning of our nervous system.
  4. The brain uses more of the body’s energy than the rest of the organs, using over 20% of the energy reserves in the body.
  5. Axons and dendrites act as cables to carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord.
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  1. Every square inch of your skin contains around 1,300 pain receptors but only about 100 receptors for pressure, 40 for cold, and 6 for warmth.
  2. The left side of the human brain controls the right side of the body and the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body.
  3. The brain requires and utilizes more energy than any other organ in the body.
  4. Our forehead and fingertips are the most sensitive to pain because of their greater density of nerve fibers which react to a pain trigger.
  5. Neurons may look different from one another.
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  1. Nerve damage is usually irreversible and can result in loss of function of any nerves in the body. This is because the nerve cells do not undergo the process of cell division, so they cannot grow or repair themselves.
  2. The brain’s structure is not static; it changes with acquiring new knowledge.
  3. The brain is hard at work even when you’re sleeping.
  4. The right optic nerve crosses over the left and transmits a signal to the left side of the brain, while the left optic nerve transmits signals to the right side.
  5. The more we learn, the more electrical connections are generated in our brains.
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  1. Every square inch of your skin contains around 1,300 pain receptors but only about 100 receptors for pressure, 40 for cold, and 6 for warmth.
  2. A newborn baby loses about half of their nerve cells before they are born,
  3. There are about 13,500,00 neurons in the human spinal cord.
  4. Neurons are programmed to do different things.
  5. An optic nerve, also known as the cranial nerve, is the fundamental part of the central nervous system and the most significant sensory nerve of the human eye. 
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  1. Some neurons have an insulating layer known as the myelin sheath. This allows nervous impulses to travel faster, with less energy lost.
  2. Info in the nervous system can travel as fast as 268 miles per hour (431 kph)!
  3. In the peripheral nervous system, nerve cells can be threadlike—their width is microscopic, but their length can be measured in feet.
  4. A man’s brain has 6.5 times more gray matter compared to women, but a woman’s brain has 10 times more white matter compared to men.
  5. Your nervous system cannot function properly in the absence of potassium and sodium ions. Vitamin B is equally essential for your nervous system.
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  1. The body has a nervous system for preparing the body for action.
  2. The nervous system is the primary control system of our body as it is involved in every function, from breathing, generating and receiving responses, controlling the muscles, and sensing heat, cold, and a lot more.
  3. Involuntary reflexes are not controlled by your brain. They are controlled by a reflex arc.
  4. Reflexes that are involuntary are not interpreted and processed by the brain.
  5. There is a nervous system for controlling the body at rest.
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  1. There are 43 pairs of nerves in the peripheral nervous system.
  2. The hypothalamus is a small part of the brain that regulates body temperature.
  3. Damage to the nervous system may result in the functioning of other systems.
  4. Electrical impulses within the nervous system are triggered by ions or chemical signals that pass through channels in the neuron.
  5. Research shows that being curious increases the number of connections between brain cells.
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  1. We lose neurons as we age, starting at around 20 years old in humans. 1/10 of our neurons are gone by the time we turn 75.
  2. Neuronal cells do not undergo the process of mitosis or cell division; hence they do not have growth or repair capacity.
  3. It would take more than 3,000 years to count all neurons in your brain!
  4. The body has its own nervous system that controls the bowel. The enteric nervous system automatically regulates bowel movements as a part of digestion.
  5. The fastest signal transmission in the human body occurs by alpha motor neurons.
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  1. The brain is about 85% water.
  2. As we age, our brain shrinks by about 1-2 grams every year due to the loss of neurons.
  3. By age 20, we begin to lose neurons to aging.
  4. ScientistsTrusted Source is now developing ways to “hack” into the immune system, gaining the ability to control brain cells with a flash of light. The cells can be programmed to react to light through genetic altering.
  5. By age 75, nearly 1/10 of the neurons die out from your original neuron count.
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  1. The brain is 60% fat. It’s built on fat, although it runs on glucose.
  2. The slowest signal transmission in the human body occurs within the skin. It is the largest organ of the body and sense organs, which transmit signals at 1 mile per hour.
  3. Primates, including humans, have a group of neurons called mirror neurons. These are responsible for some behaviors being contagious, such as yawning.
  4. Our brains have that wrinkly, walnut shape because the white matter constrains the fast maturity of the brain’s external or outer brain (the gray matter).
  5. Glial cells are support cells for neurons. They can make myelin to surround part of the neuron. They can also get rid of microbes and help supply nutrients to the neurons.
  6. The nervous system cannot efficiently repair itself.
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Do you know even more fascinating facts about the nervous system? Share them in the comments!

Are you looking for more fun and engaging facts to share with your family? Check out these other posts for more facts!

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