The Peripheral Nervous System Flashcards
The peripheral nervous system
Stimulus -> Sensory Neuron (afferent) -> CNS -> Efferent neurons -> Somatic motor neurons or Autonomic neurons
Peripheral nervous system structure are what?
Outside the brain and spinal cord
What do nerves allow the CNS to do?
Receive information and take action
Functional components of the PNS
Sensory inputs and motor output either somatic or visceral
What is somatic?
Skeletal muscles
What is visceral?
ANS; Smooth muscles, cardiac muscles, glands
What are general sensory inputs?
touch, pain, pressure, temperature
What are special sensory inputs?
hearing, vision, taste, smell
Where does sensory (afferent) signals go?
Towards CNS
Where does motor (efferent) signals go?
Away from CNS, innervates muscles and glands
What are the two regions of PNS?
Somatic body region and visceral body region
What are the 4 main subdivisons of PNS?
Somatic sensory, visceral sensory, somatic motor, visceral motor
What does somatic sensory do?
Information taking from skeletal muscles
What does visceral sensory do?
Information taking from cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, or glands
What does somatic motor do?
Information going back to the skeletal muscle
What does the visceral motor do?
Information going back to cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, or glands
What does afferent (sensory) division do?
Transmits impulses from receptors to the CNS
What do somatic afferent fibers do?
Carry impulses from skin, skeletal
muscles, and joints
What do visceral afferent fiber do?
Transmit impulses from smooth muscles, cardiac muscles, or glands
What do motor (efferent) division do?
Transmits impulses from the CNS to effector organs
What does autonomic nervous system do?
Regulates smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, glands
What does somatic nervous system do?
Provides conscious control of skeletal muscles
What are proprioceptive senses (cranial nerves)?
Knowing where all parts of the body are at all times
What is sympathetic nervous system?
Fight or Flight, stressor occurring, catabolic (expend energy)
What is parasympathetic nervous system?
Rest and Digest, maintaining homeostasis
What are the effects of sympathetic activation?
Generalized response, increased in alertness, energy, cardiovascular, respiratory, muscle tone
Effects of parasympathetic activation?
Relaxation, food processing, energy absorption, brief effects at specific sites
