Cameron touches a hot iron and immediately pulls his hand away. His quick response occurs because _______.

A) the pain message goes up the spinal column to the central area of the spinal cord instead of going all the way to the brain
B) the brain has registered that pain is occurring and responds quickly
C) his glands have secreted chemical messengers called hormones
D) neurons in the spinal cord touch end to end to increase response speed

Spinal Column

The structural backbone of vertebrates, consisting of a series of bones or vertebrae that protect the spinal cord.

Neurons

Neurons are the basic working units of the brain and nervous system, responsible for receiving sensory input from the external world, sending motor commands to our muscles, and transforming and relaying the electrical signals at every step in between.

Hormones

Chemical messengers produced by the endocrine glands that regulate various bodily functions and behaviors.