Our Nervous System…….Fun Facts!

  • There are millions of nerve cells in the human body. This number even exceeds the number of stars in the Milky Way.
  • The human brain alone consists of about a 100 billion neurons. If all these neurons were to be lined up, it would form a 600 mile long line.
  • In humans, the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, while the left side of the brain controls the right side.
  • The diameter of the neurons can range between 4 to 100 microns.
  • In a child developing inside the womb, neurons grow at the rate of 250,000 neurons per minute.
  • By the time of its birth, the baby’s brain consists of around 10 million nerve cells.
  • The human spinal cord consists of around 13,500,000 neurons. The cluster of nerves located at the base of the spinal cord are most sensitive.
  • The weight of the brain in average adult males is 1375 grams, while in females it is 1275 grams. – This does not mean men are smarter, just to make that clear 🙂
  • And as we grow older, the brain loses a gram each year.
  • At a given point of time, only four percent of the cells in the brain are active, the rest are kept in reserve.
  • The nervous system is very quick, it can transmit impulses at a tremendous speed of 100 meters per second. The speed of message transmissions to the brain can be as high as 180 miles per hour.
  • Sodium ions and potassium are necessary constituents to ensure proper functioning of the nervous system. Even Vitamin B is considered to be beneficial for it!
  • There are 43 different pairs nerves which connect the central nervous system to every part of our body. Twelve of these nerve pairs are connected to the brain, while the remaining 31 are connected to the spinal cord, which is why it’s so important to get your back checked out.