中枢神经系统（英语：Central Nervous System，缩写CNS）是神经系统中神经细胞集中的结构，在脊椎动物包括脑和脊髓；在高等无脊椎动物如环节动物和昆虫等，则主要包括腹神经索和一系列的神经节。

人的中枢神经系统构造最复杂而完整，特别是大脑半球的皮层获得高度的发展，成为神经系统最重要和高级的部分，保证了机体各器官的协调活动，以及机体与外界环境间的统一和协调。

中枢神经系统与周围神经系统组成了神经系统，控制了生物的行为。

整个中枢神经系统位于背腔，脑在颅腔，脊髓在脊椎管；颅骨保护脑，脊椎保护脊髓。

The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord. The central nervous system is so named because it integrates information it receives from, and coordinates and influences the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterally symmetric animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish—and it contains the majority of the nervous system. Arguably, many consider the retina and the optic nerve (2nd cranial nerve), as well as the olfactory nerves (1st) and olfactory epithelium as parts of the CNS, synapsing directly on brain tissue without intermediate ganglia. Following this classification the olfactory epithelium is the only central nervous tissue in direct contact with the environment, which opens up for therapeutic treatments. The CNS is contained within the dorsal body cavity, with the brain housed in the cranial cavity and the spinal cord in the spinal canal. In vertebrates, the brain is protected by the skull, while the spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae, both enclosed in the meninges.