What are the two major parts of the nervous system?

• A. Brain and spinal cord
• B. Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS)
• C. Somatic and autonomic
• D. Neurons and glia

Answer: (B)

Two major parts are the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, acts as the control center where information is processed and coordinated. The peripheral nervous system consists of all the nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord, functioning as the communication network that carries sensory data to the CNS and relays motor commands from the CNS to muscles and glands. This division reflects structure and function: the CNS processes and integrates, while the PNS connects the CNS to the rest of the body. The other options describe either components of the CNS (brain and spinal cord), a functional division within the PNS (somatic and autonomic), or the basic cell types of nervous tissue (neurons and glia), none of which represent the two broad anatomical divisions of the nervous system.