PNS Functional Components

Question 1

GSA

Answer 1

General Somatic Afferent

Innervate areas of the skin, muscle, and bone in return information to the CNS regarding external environmental status (temp, touch), The position of the body in space (proprioception), or relative levels of danger or tissue damage (Pain or noxious information). Some of these axons may also Be monitoring relative levels of stretching the muscle. Muscular tension is also monitored in the muscles. These axons are called proprioceptive Afferent axons.

Question 2

GSE

Answer 2

General Somatic Efferent

GSE axons accomplish only one task: causing/Regulating the contraction of skeletal muscle cells. The vast majority of the Zach sans are also called final common pathway axons. Transaction, crush, location, or other damage to these FCP axons results in flaccid paralysis. This type of paralysis has some potential for recovery based on several critical factors for regeneration.

Ex: FCP, the gamma motor neuron

Question 3

GVE

Answer 3

General visceral efferent

GVE axons are all autonomic axons. They all belong to the autonomic nervous system. They are all either sympathetic or parasympathetic. There is no special symbol for GVEs which are pre-ganglionic or postganglionic, nor for those which are sympathetic or parasympathetic. There are only three types of tissue which may be innervated by the GVE axons: cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and glandular tissue. If the GVE axon is part of either a ventral or dorsal primary ramus, it is almost always sympathetic.