Lizard Nervous System

The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.


Lizards have a typical reptilian brain, which is more advanced with a larger cerebrum and cerebellum than that of amphibians or fishes.

  • Brain - small, not exceeding 1% of the body mass; it has 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
  • Spinal Cord - differs from that of mammals in that it extends to the tail tip.

Neurological Disorders

They are poorly understood and documented in reptiles but the basic neurological reflexes should be tested during any evaluation. Unbalanced diets may sometimes result in neurologic symptoms such as hypocalcemic tetany and therefore it is important to evaluate the nutritional requirements and history of the specimen.