Definition: Central nerves are neurons that are located in the central nervous system, which is the brain and the spinal cord. Central nerves are made up of cell bodies (the “grey matter”), and long tails called axons (the “white matter”). They communicate through neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that either cause or prevent neurons from firing.
Central nerves play a key role in interpretation of pain messages, whether they originate in the central nervous system itself or in the peripheral nervous system (the nerves in the rest of the body). More on how the brain feels pain.
