Two major functions of the spinal cord are to:

• A. Receive sensory information from the body and send these messages to the brain; receive motor information from the brain and send it to the relevant parts of the body.
• B. Produce hormones and regulate digestion.
• C. Store long-term memories and regulate emotions.
• D. Control the heartbeat and respiration exclusively.

Answer: (A)

Think of the spinal cord as the main highway linking the body and the brain. Its two big jobs are to carry sensory information from the body up to the brain so it can be processed, and to carry motor commands from the brain down to muscles and other effectors so you can move or respond. This bidirectional flow is what lets you sense touch, pain, temperature, and position, and then act on that information.

It’s also worth noting that the spinal cord can manage quick reflexes on its own through simple neural circuits, which is a fast, automatic response that doesn’t wait for the brain. But the major, everyday control mechanism is the communication between body and brain in both directions.

The other options describe roles outside the spinal cord. Producing hormones and regulating digestion involve glands and the autonomic/digestive systems. Storing long-term memories and regulating emotions are functions of brain areas like the hippocampus and limbic system. Controlling the heartbeat and respiration is primarily managed by the brainstem and autonomic nervous system.