Post the Nervous System

Quick Answer: Post the Nervous System is a human nervous system poster that shows the brain and spinal cord, which form the central nervous system, and the nerves that branch from them through the body, the peripheral nervous system. It is used in biology and anatomy lessons on coordination and response.

Mapping the Body’s Wiring

For teaching, the nervous system is divided into two parts. The central nervous system is the brain and spinal cord, protected by the skull and vertebral column. The peripheral nervous system is the network of nerves that connects them to every muscle, gland and sense organ: 12 pairs of cranial nerves from the brain and 31 pairs of spinal nerves from the cord. A nervous system poster usually shows the full-body layout, with major nerves such as the sciatic nerve in the leg and the radial, median and ulnar nerves in the arm.

Many versions add detail panels. A neuron diagram shows the cell body, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath and axon terminals; a brain diagram labels the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem; a reflex arc traces the path from receptor through sensory neuron, relay neuron in the spinal cord and motor neuron to the effector. Panels vary between editions, but these are the diagrams most syllabi ask students to draw and label.

For students, the key idea is the flow of information: stimulus, receptor, coordinator, effector, response. Once they can trace that path on the poster, they can explain both fast nervous responses and the slower hormonal control covered in the next topic.

Applications

• Teaching the stimulus-response pathway and reflex arcs
• Labelling exercises on neuron structure and brain regions
• Linking a knee-jerk reflex demonstration to the spinal cord shown on the poster
• Anatomy revision for nursing and allied health foundation courses

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Hang the poster beside the skeletal or muscular chart so students can see how nerves reach the muscles.
• Use plastic poster clips rather than tape, because anatomical posters are often taken down and moved between rooms.
• Use a separate labelling sheet for quizzes instead of covering the poster’s labels with sticky notes that pull at the print.

Why Choose LabEquip

Anatomy teachers often combine this poster with the Human Musculature poster to explain how nerves trigger muscle contraction. Both are part of Educational Charts, three-dimensional teaching aids are in Anatomy Models, and orders go through the LabEquip contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the central and peripheral nervous system?

The central nervous system is the brain and spinal cord, which process information and coordinate responses. The peripheral nervous system is the nerves that carry signals between the central system and the rest of the body.

What is a reflex arc?

It is the pathway of a reflex action: receptor, sensory neuron, relay neuron in the spinal cord, motor neuron and effector. Because the signal does not need to pass through the conscious parts of the brain, the response is very fast, as when you pull your hand away from a hot object.

What are the main parts of a neuron?

A cell body containing the nucleus, branched dendrites that receive signals, a long axon that carries the impulse away, often insulated by a myelin sheath, and axon terminals that pass the signal on at synapses.

What does the cerebellum do?

The cerebellum, at the back of the brain below the cerebrum, coordinates movement, balance and posture. The cerebrum handles thought, memory, the senses and voluntary movement, and the brainstem controls breathing and heart rate.

How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?

There are 31 pairs, each leaving the spinal cord between vertebrae and carrying both sensory and motor fibres. The cranial nerves, 12 pairs, leave the brain directly and serve mainly the head and neck.

How do nerves differ from hormones in controlling the body?

Nerves carry fast electrical impulses along specific pathways for rapid, short-lived responses. Hormones travel in the blood and act more slowly but for longer, and they can affect many organs at once.

Last Updated: September 2026