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The Nervous System ( Cns )

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Introduction
The nervous system coordinates voluntary and involuntary actions of animal bodies and is in charge of transmitting signal from one part of the body to another part. It is divided into two main systems, the Central Nervous System (CNS) that contains the brain and the spinal cord, and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) that includes mostly all nerves connecting the CNS to every part of the body (Martini et al., 2005). The entire nervous system relies on the good functioning of specialized cells: the neurons that convey electrical signals; and the neuroglia that is composed of several types of specialized cells with different functions either involved in the structure of the nervous system, the enhancement of the signal transmission or even in the defense mechanism.
Although the nervous system is an extraordinary machine that allows living organisms to respond to varying environmental conditions, physical shocks may damage the structure itself and external chemical agents may compromise its good functioning by altering the basic mechanisms of the electrical signal transmission or, in the worst case by initiating the death of neuronal cells. To counter such random risks, the nervous system has developed multiple protections that can deal with most of major issues. However, in some cases, acute or chronic exposures to high concentrations of neurotoxic chemicals may break through these protective barriers and induce irreversible effects or damages.

Anatomy and

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