The nervous system maintains homeostasis by controlling and regulating the other parts of the body. A deviation from a normal set point acts as a stimulus to a receptor, which sends nerve impulses to a regulating center in the brain.
Explanation:
Of all the body systems, the nervous system is the major control system of homeostasis. It provides monitoring, response, and regulation of all systems in the human body and other organisms. It functions from the tiny level of individual cells to affecting the whole body at once.
Receptors inside and outside the body are constantly monitoring conditions and watching for changes. When a body system leaves a set point and falls outside its normal range, signals are sent through the nervous system which trigger responses to bring the system back into the normal range of functioning. This is the process of homeostasis. These complicated and intricate processes have evolved over millions of years. For example, thermoreceptors and mechanoreceptors in the skin sense changes in temperature and pressure, respectively. Then, signals sent from them to the brain make it possible to detect situations that could cause injury or death. In addition, nerves make muscles contract which moves the bones of the skeleton, making it possible to evade predators and/or fight. This ability to perceive the environment and reacting to it is critical to maintaining homeostasis in the body.
