Identify the components of the peripheral nervous system

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the connection between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. The CNS is like the power plant of the nervous system. It creates the signals that control the functions of the body. The PNS is like the wires that go to individual houses. Without those “wires,” the signals produced by the CNS could not control the body (and the CNS would not be able to receive sensory information from the body either).

The PNS can be broken down into the autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions without conscious control, and the sensory-somatic nervous system, which transmits sensory information from the skin, muscles, and sensory organs to the CNS and sends motor commands from the CNS to the muscles.

What You’ll Learn to Do

• Describe the organization and functions of the sympathetic nervous systems
• Describe the organization and functions of the parasympathetic nervous systems
• Describe the organization and function of the sensory-somatic nervous system

Learning Activities

The learning activities for this section include the following:

• Autonomic Nervous System
• Sensory-Somatic Nervous System
• Self Check: The Peripheral Nervous System