Lesson A1.

Peripheral Nervous System

Objectives identify the components of
1 the peripheral nervous
At the end system;
of the
lesson, you determine the divisions of
should be 2 the peripheral nervous
able to: system;
 describe the functions of
the sympathetic and
Objectives 3 parasympathetic nervous
At the end system; and
of the
lesson, you explain how the peripheral
should be nervous system
4 coordinates with the
able to:
central nervous system.
 Learn about It!

Peripheral Nervous System

● The peripheral nervous system

(PNS) and its components serve
as messengers of impulses and
governs our reflexes.

● It consists mainly of nerves and

scattered ganglia found outside
the central nervous system.
The components of the PNS
 Learn about It!

Peripheral Nervous System

● Components of PNS:

○ Nerves are bundles of axons

encased in connective tissues
which serve as the basic units
of the nervous system.

○ Ganglia are scattered clusters

of neuronal cell bodies found
outside the spinal cord.
The components of the PNS
 Learn about It!

Peripheral Nervous System

● Nerves of the PNS may be

classified into two based on their
location.

○ cranial nerves (12 pairs)

○ spinal nerves (31 pairs)

● Their names correspond to the

muscles or organs they control.
The components of the PNS
 Learn about It!

Peripheral Nervous System

● Types of nerves based on
their location:

○ Cranial nerves are rooted

from the areas of the skull
that connect the brain to
different parts of the head.

○ There are 12 pairs of

cranial nerves.
The cranial nerves
 Learn about It!

Peripheral Nervous System

● Types of nerves based on their
location:

○ Spinal nerves originate from the

spinal cord and extend to the
peripheral areas of the body like
the limbs.

○ There are 31 pairs of spinal

nerves.
The spinal nerves
 Learn about It!

Peripheral Nervous System

● Cranial and spinal nerves The nerves and the kind of
are classified based on impulse they carry
the kind of impulses they Kind of
Cranial Spinal
carry and the direction Impulse

to which they travel. oculomotor, trochlear, Spinal

sensory abducens, accessory, nerves can
hypoglossal be both
○ sensory neurons olfactory, vagus, sensory
(afferent) motor
vestibulocochlear, optic, and motor
by
○ motor neurons trigeminal, facial,
glossopharyngeal function.
(efferent)
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● The PNS is functionally
divided based on the
kind of impulses.

○ Sensory division
○ Motor division
■ somatic nervous
system
■ autonomic
nervous system The divisions of the PNS
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Sensory pathways carry
signals to the CNS from
sensory receptors in the
skin, bones, muscles,
and other organs.

● Motor pathways convey

information from the
CNS to muscles and
glands. The divisions of the PNS
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Motor pathways of the PNS
are further subdivided into
groups:

○ Somatic nervous system

○ Autonomic nervous
system
■ sympathetic division
■ parasympathetic
division The divisions of the motor pathways
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Somatic nervous system
(SNS) allows us to consciously,
or voluntarily, control our
muscles.

○ It is also referred to as the

voluntary nervous system.

○ It carries signals from the Riding a bike, a voluntary action,

brain to the skeletal muscles. is governed by the SNS.
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Somatic nervous system (SNS)

○ It also controls our reflex

actions.

○ A reflex is a rapid,
immediate, and involuntary
action of the body as a
response to a stimulus. Sneezing, a reflex action, is
controlled by the SNS.
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Autonomic nervous system
(ANS) regulates events in our
body that are automatic, or
involuntary.

○ It is also referred to as the

involuntary nervous system.

○ It carries impulses from the Digestion of food is controlled

brain to involuntary muscles. by the ANS.
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Autonomic nervous system
is further grouped into two
subdivisions:

○ sympathetic division
○ parasympathetic division

● These two divisions bring

opposing effects: what one
stimulates, the other inhibits.
The divisions of ANS
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Sympathetic division is referred Some signs that the
to as the “fight-or-flight” system. sympathetic division is
dominating
○ It dominates when we are pounding heart
excited or under stress, rapid and deep breathing
including emergencies or
threatening situations. cold and sweaty skin

prickly scalp
○ It is also at full speed when you dilated eye pupils
are physically stressed.
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Sympathetic division

○ Being chased by a dog: to “fight” or “flight”

■ You will need more oxygen, so your heart and

breathing become faster.
■ The blood vessels in your skeletal muscles dilate to
increase blood flow, so you can run faster.
■ For you to see clearly as you run, your pupils will
dilate to allow for more light to pass through.
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Parasympathetic division is Some signs that the
known as the “rest-and-digest” parasympathetic division
is dominating
system.
normal heart and respiratory rate
○ It dominates when the body normal blood pressure
is relaxed or not threatened.
warm skin

○ It also returns the body to well-functioning digestive tract

normal conditions after being constricted eye pupils
stressed.
 Learn about It!

Divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System

● Parasympathetic division

○ Resting after a meal: to “rest” and “digest”

■ At rest, our heart rate, blood pressure, and

respiratory rate are regulated at normal levels.
■ Our skin is warm, indicating that there is no need to
divert more blood to skeletal muscles.
■ Our pupils are constricted to protect our eyes from
excessive light.
 Learn about It!

Coordination Between CNS and PNS

● Sensory pathways of
the PNS provide input
to the CNS.

● The brain and spinal

cord, in turn, will
integrate the received
information and
regulate the motor The PNS and CNS create a dynamic balance
pathways of the PNS. to maintain homeostasis in our body
Key Points

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is mainly

1 composed of nerves and ganglia found outside the
central nervous system.

Nerves are bundles of axons encased in connective

2 tissues.

Ganglia are scattered clusters of neuronal cell bodies

3 found outside the spinal cord.
Key Points

Neurons may be classified as sensory and motor

neurons. Sensory neurons carry impulses from
4 sensory receptors to the CNS. Motor neurons carry
impulses from the CNS to the muscles and glands.

The PNS is divided into two major groups based on

neural functions: the sensory and motor divisions.
5 The motor division is further subdivided into somatic
and autonomic nervous systems.
Key Points

The somatic nervous system (SNS) controls the

6 skeletal (voluntary) muscles.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls the

7 smooth and cardiac (involuntary) muscles.

The autonomic nervous system is subdivided into two:

the sympathetic division which serves as the “fight or
8 flight” system and the parasympathetic division
which serves as the “rest and digest” system of the
body.
 Check Your Understanding

Identify the specific division of the peripheral

nervous system that is most responsible in
controlling the following body activities.
1. Talking
2. Defecation
3. Sneezing due to allergy
4. Dilation of blood vessels
5. Constriction of eye pupils
 Challenge Yourself

Our brain does not have

the nerve cells called
pain receptors that can
feel pain. If this is the
case, why do we get
headaches?
 Bibliography

Austin Community College. “Central Nervous System.” Accessed August 27, 2019.
https://www.austincc.edu/apreview/PhysText/CNS.html

Backyard Brains: Neuroscience for Everyone. “Experiment: How Fast Your Brain Reacts To Stimuli.”
Accessed August 27, 2019. https://backyardbrains.com/experiments/reactiontime

Basic Medical Key. “Nervous System Cells.” Accessed August 27, 2019.
https://basicmedicalkey.com/nervous-system-cells/#cesec16

Brown University. “Communication Between Neurons.” Accessed August 29, 2019.

https://canvas.brown.edu/courses/971296/pages/communication-between-neurons?module_item_i
d=8127864

Campbell, Neil A. et al. 2008. Biology: Eight Edition. San Francisco, California: Pearson Education Inc.
 Bibliography

CK-12 Foundation. “Central Nervous System.” Accessed August 27, 2019.

https://www.ck12.org/c/life-science/central-nervous-system/lesson/Central-Nervous-System-MS-LS/

Elert, Glenn. The Physics Factbook. “Speed Of Nerve Impulses.” Accessed August 17, 2019.
https://hypertextbook.com/facts/2002/DavidParizh.shtml

Marieb, Elaine N. 2004. Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology: Seventh Edition. San Francisco,
California. Pearson Education Inc.

McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health. “Chapter 3: Anatomy of the Spinal Cord.”
Accessed August 27, 2019. https://nba.uth.tmc.edu/neuroscience/m/s2/chapter03.html

Queensland Brain Institute: The University of Queensland–Australia. “Peripheral nervous system.”

Accessed August 28, 2019. https://qbi.uq.edu.au/brain/brain-anatomy/peripheral-nervous-system
 Bibliography

Science Museum. “How do nerves connect with each other?” Accessed August 27, 2019.
http://whoami.sciencemuseum.org.uk/whoami/findoutmore/yourbrain/howdoesyourbrainwork/ho
wdoesyournervoussystemwork/howdonervesconnectwitheachother

Vince, Gaia, through Discover Magazine. May 26, 2015. “Hacking the Nervous System to Heal the Body.”
Accessed August 28, 2019.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2015/05/26/hacking-nervous-system/#.XWbJoegzbIU