 The nervous system is basically the same as in other vertebrates , with a central brain , a spinal cord , and nerves throughout the body . The amphibian brain is less well developed than that of reptiles , birds and mammals but is similar in morphology and function to that of a fish . It is believed amphibians are capable of perceiving pain . The brain consists of equal parts , cerebrum , midbrain and cerebellum . Various parts of the cerebrum process sensory input , such as smell in the olfactory lobe and sight in the optic lobe , and it is additionally the centre of behaviour and learning . The cerebellum is the center of muscular coordination and the medulla oblongata controls some organ functions including heartbeat and respiration . The brain sends signals through the spinal cord and nerves to regulate activity in the rest of the body . The pineal body , known to regulate sleep patterns in humans , is thought to produce the hormones involved in hibernation and aestivation in amphibians . 
