The central nervous system is comprised of the brain and the spinal cord.  The spinal cord receives sensory input from the peripheral nervous system, relays the information to the brain for interpretation, processing and a response, and then transmits the response back to the peripheral nervous system.

When diseases affect the central nervous system virtually all areas of living can be affected.  The symptoms are very diverse and range from memory loss and cognitive impairment to tremors and paralysis.  Early detection and treatment can vastly improve longterm quality of life for those affected and is the driving force behind research today.