Peripheral nervous system

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ANATOMY

The peripheral nervous system works in conjunction with the central nervous system. Its function is dependant upon the central nervous system’s appropriate responses. The peripheral nervous system is a large communication factor in the central nervous system’s ability to function. The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerve tissue that is located outside of the central nervous system.

This includes nerves along with their accompanying ganglia, sensory receptors, and nerve plexuses. The communication between the central nervous system and the body relies on the peripheral nervous system to transmit the data. The prime responsibility of the peripheral nervous system is to transmit the associated data from the body to the central nervous system simply by conveying a series of pulsations to and from the brain and the spinal cord.

There really isn’t a part of the body that is not directly affected by the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system contains nerves that are organized with the cranial nerves or spinal nerves, depending on the location of the origination of the nerves. Thus, cranial nerves originate from the brain while spinal nerves originate from the spinal cord.

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DIAGRAM

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTIONS

The nerves classified as sensory nerve or motor function nerves are classified based entirely on the direction the impulse is heading. Thus sensory nerves are named such because the pulse is leaving the sense that is transmitting the information and is heading toward the spinal cord. Sensory nerves are constructed of afferent neurons that are responsible for conveying specialized pulsations toward the central nervous system.

Without the assistance of the peripheral nervous system, the central nervous system would be restricted in its ability to send information to the body. The comparison is much like mail. The central nervous system without the use of the peripheral nervous system is the equivalent of snail mail while the peripheral nervous system becomes the addition of e-mail.