The spinal cord is soft like jelly and about as big around as a thumb; it is encased and protected by the backbone.

The spinal cord is made of the same kind of the cells as the brain - neuron cells. With the brain, it forms the central nervous system.

Simply put, the spinal cord carries the messages from the brain to the rest of the body and back. Like the command to wiggle your big toe: it starts in your brain, gets carried through the spinal cord until it reaches your toe muscles who learn they must wiggle.

If the spinal cord gets damaged, the signal doesn’t get through and people can lose sensation or the ability to move their limbs!

Take a look at the picture on your right. When you touch hot water, your hand will move away almost before you are aware of what is happening. This is an example of a reflex!

Does The Spinal Cord Do Any Thinking?

The  spinal cord is  capable of generating reflex responses, also known as unconscious actions. When a doctor taps the tendon below your kneecap with a rubber hammer, he is testing your spinal cord’s ability to respond. The spinal cord is in charge of holding much of your posture and balance, and does so by controlling and regulating the amount each muscle is flexed. Hitting the tendon in the knee changes how much the thigh muscle is flexed.

The spinal cord is jelly-like and only as big around as your thumb. The hard bumps down the center of your back that you can feel when you lean over are your vertebrae - hard bones that surround and protect the soft cells of the spinal cord. These soft cells are neurons and their support cells.

What Do Neurons in The Spinal Cord Do?

Spinal neurons perform three functions: they carry signals to the brain, they carry signals away from the brain, and they interpret signals.

There are three types of neurons in the body, and each type is present in the spinal cord. One type of neuron runs from sensory organs that gather information from the outside environment, such as the nose, eyes, and skin, to the spinal cord. Another type of neuron carries signals from the brain to the organs and muscles. The signals that run down these neurons direct the action and function of the organs and muscles they connect to. Lastly, one type of neuron travels between the first two types of neurons and filters signals. Only more dominant signals, those that reach the neuron most often, are carried down the axon. These neurons integrate signals and generate a response. Since the spinal cord contains all three types of neurons, it acts as an information highway. It busily sends messages to the brain, the organs, and the muscles. 

Does The Spinal Cord Do Any "thinking"?

With all three types of neurons, the spinal cord is capable of generating reflex responses, also known as unconscious actions. When a doctor taps the tendon below your kneecap with a rubber hammer, he is testing your spinal cord’s ability to respond. The spinal cord is in charge of holding much of your posture and balance and does so by controlling and regulating the amount each muscle is flexed. Hitting the tendon in the knee changes how much the thigh muscle is flexed. To compensate for the sudden change, a signal is sent from the spinal cord that causes the thigh muscles to contract. This response is generated by signals that travel through only two neurons. One type of neuron sends a signal from the knee to the spinal cord indicating that the muscle is stretched. The next type of neuron integrates this message and generates the response. The second type of neuron carries the response to a muscle in your leg, causing the muscle to contract and your leg to kick out. A reflex response could take as little as two neurons. "Thinking" processes, such as solving a problem or executing a sequence of dance moves require many more neurons, and happen in the brain!