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Human Performance
2.4.1.2 The peripheral nervous system
The peripheral nervous system consists of nerves that extend from the brain
and spinal cord to the rest of the body.
Peripheral nerves are connected to the spinal cord at various levels. Information
from these nerves is transmitted to and from the brain through the spinal cord.
Some peripheral nerves, known as cranial nerves, exit directly from the brain
through small openings in the skull. These nerves control functions such as
vision, eye movement, hearing, smell, taste, and facial movement.
Signals for muscle movement travel outward from the brain, while sensory
signals travel inward to the brain.
2.4.1.3 Processing information in the brain
You contain the most incredible machine in the world, the brain. This small
control center only makes up 2% of your body weight, yet it influences
everything you do. A huge network of signals branches out from the brain,
which branches out to every corner of your body and back again. In this way,
the brain can control every small part of your body.
Most of the time we have no idea what our brain is doing. For example, have
you ever tried to read a text and then suddenly noticed that you were thinking
about something completely different.
Look at the box below. In reality, only a very small part of the information that
reaches the brain is of which we are aware.
Flight Theory PPL(A)(UL)/LAPL Henning Andersen, Midtjysk Flyveskole© 2025 148
