Exam (elaborations)
Peripheral Nervous System Questions & Detailed Answers
- Course
- Peripheral nervous system
- Institution
- Stanford University
Peripheral Nervous System Questions & Detailed Answers
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Peripheral Nervous System Questions & DetailedAnswers
Peripheral Nervous System - ANS • The peripheral nervous system is the entire
network of nerves located outside the CNS. It extends to the top of the head,
throughout the body to the tips of the fingers and toes and to all parts of the skin.
• The PNS enables communication between the CNS and all other parts of the
body outside the brain and spinal cord
Functions of the Peripheral Nervous System - ANS • Its two functions are:
o To carry information to the CNS from the body's muscles, organs and glands
(about the internal environment) and from the sensory organs (about the external
environment).
o To carry information from the CNS to the body's muscles, organs and glands.
Somatic nervous system - ANS • The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the
PNS. It carries sensory information to the CNS and motor information from the
CNS. Sensory information is communicated along sensory neural pathways and
motor information along motor neural pathways
Sensory neurons and neural pathways - ANS • The sensory neural pathways (also
called afferent pathways) contain sensory neurons that receive signals from the
eyes, ears, nose, skin, tendons, joints, skeletal muscles, tongue and many other
tissues and organs.
, • Sensory neurons (also called afferent neurons) are specialised nerve cells that
receive and carry sensory messages. These neurons generally respond to a
particular type of stimulation.
o For example, some neurons generally respond only to light, but not other types
of stimulation such as mechanical energy (sound), odours (smell) and pressure
(touch).
Motor neurons and motor neural pathways - ANS • The motor neural pathways
(also called efferent pathways) contain motor neurons that carry motor
information for voluntary bodily movements
• Motor neurons (also called efferent neurons) are specialised nerve cells that
carry messages to skeletal muscles causing them to contract or relax.
o Skeletal muscles are attached to our bones and respond to messages from the
CNS to initiate, change or stop movement.
Interneurons - ANS • Sensory neurons and motor neurons rarely ever connect
directly. Interneurons (also called connecting neurons) perform the important
function of making the connection between sensory and motor neurons which
rarely ever connect directly. They are found only in the CNS and are the most
abundant type of neurons in the brain.
• Voluntary movement is controlled through the coordinated actions of both
motor and sensory neurons
Autonomic Nervous System - ANS • The autonomic nervous system is a subdivision
of the PNS that connects the CNS to the body's internal organs and glands
providing feedback to the brain about their activities. The ANS is called
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