The central nervous system (CNS) is one of the main parts of the nervous system which is comprised of the brain and spinal cord.  It is contained within the skull and spine and is responsible for most functions of the body and mind.  It is responsible for taking in sensory information, organizing and synthesizing it and providing instructions for the rest of the body.  In addition, controls for higher-level functioning (thought), coordination, respiration and digestion all come from different parts of the central nervous system.  The other main part of the nervous system is called the peripheral nervous system (PNS).