In biology, the nervous system is the highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes that impact the body, then works in tandem with the endocrine system to respond to such events. Nervous tissue first arose in wormlike organisms about 550 to 600 million years ago. In vertebrates, it consists of two main parts, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. The PNS consists mainly of nerves, which are enclosed bundles of the long fibers, or axons, that connect the CNS to every other part of the body. Nerves that transmit signals from the brain are called motor nerves (efferent), while those nerves that transmit information from the body to the CNS are called sensory nerves (afferent). The PNS is divided into two separate subsystems, the somatic and autonomic, nervous systems. The autonomic nervous system is further subdivided into the sympathetic, parasympathetic and enteric nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system is activated in cases of emergencies to mobilize energy, while the parasympathetic nervous system is activated when organisms are in a relaxed state. The enteric nervous system functions to control the gastrointestinal system. Nerves that exit from the brain are called cranial nerves while those exiting from the spinal cord are called spinal nerves.

जिस तन्त्र के द्वारा विभिन्न अंगों का नियंत्रण और अंगों और वातावरण में सामंजस्य स्थापित होता है उसे तन्त्रिका तन्त्र कहते हैं। तंत्रिकातंत्र में मस्तिष्क, मेरुरज्जु और इनसे निकलनेवाली तंत्रिकाओं की गणना की जाती है। तन्त्रिका कोशिका, तन्त्रिका तन्त्र की रचनात्मक एवं क्रियात्मक इकाई है। तंत्रिका कोशिका एवं इसकी सहायक अन्य कोशिकाएँ मिलकर तन्त्रिका तन्त्र के कार्यों को सम्पन्न करती हैं। इससे प्राणी को वातावरण में होने वाले परिवर्तनों की जानकारी प्राप्त होती तथा एककोशिकीय प्राणियों जैसे अमीबा इत्यादि में तन्त्रिका तन्त्र नहीं पाया जाता है। हाइड्रा, प्लेनेरिया, तिलचट्टा आदि बहुकोशिकीय प्राणियों में तन्त्रिका तन्त्र पाया जाता है। मनुष्य में सुविकसित तन्त्रिका तन्त्र पाया जाता है।