The Peripheral

Nervous System
PART 3

Peripheral Nervous System

The Peripheral Nervous System

Nervous structures outside the brain and spinal

cord
Nerves allow the CNS to receive information and
take action
Functional components of the PNS

Sensory inputs and motor outputs categorized as

somatic or visceral
Sensory inputs also classified as general or special

Sensory Input and Motor Output

Sensory (afferent) signals picked up by sensor receptors, carried by

nerve fibers of PNS to the CNS

Motor (efferent) signals are carried away from the CNS, innervate
muscles and glands
Divided according to region they serve

Somatic body region

Visceral body region

Results in four main subdivisions

Somatic sensory
Visceral sensory
Somatic motor
Visceral motor

PNS Afferent Division

Afferent (sensory) division transmits impulses from

receptors to the CNS.

Somatic afferent fibers carry impulses from skin, skeletal

muscles, and joints
Visceral afferent fibers transmit impulses from visceral
organs

PNS Efferent Division

Motor (efferent) division transmits impulses from the CNS to

effector organs. Two subdivisions:
Somatic nervous system provides conscious control of skeletal
muscles
Autonomic nervous system regulates smooth muscle, cardiac
muscle, and glands

Types of Sensory and Motor Information

Figure 12.3

Sensory

General somatic senses include touch,

pain, vibration, pressure, temperature
Proprioceptive senses detect stretch in
tendons and muscle provide information on
body position, orientation and movement of
body in space
Special Senses - hearing, balance, vision,
olfaction (smell), gustation (taste)

Motor
General somatic motor

Signals contraction of skeletal muscles

Under our voluntary control

Visceral motor

Makes up autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Regulates the contraction of smooth and cardiac
muscle, controls function of visceral organs
ANS has two divisions
Parasympathetic
Sympathetic

Divisions of the ANS

Sympathetic - fight or flight

Heart rate (HR) increases.

Bronchioles dilate.
Blood [glucose] increases.

Parasympathetic - feed & breed, rest

& digest

Catabolic (expend energy)

Mass activation prepares for intense
activity.

Maintain homeostasis
Normally not activated as a whole,
stimulation of separate
parasympathetic nerves.
Relaxing effects:

Decreases HR.
Dilates visceral blood vessels.
Increases digestive activity.

Dual innervation of many organs

having a brake and an accelerator
provides more control

Sympathetic Division Organization

Preganglionic neurons in
segments T1 to L2

Ganglia near the vertebral

column

Sympathetic ganglia
Paired sympathetic chain
ganglia

Unpaired collateral ganglia

Preganglionic fibers to adrenal

medullae

Epinephrine (adrenalin) into

blood stream

The Autonomic Nervous System

Effects of Sympathetic Activation

Generalized response in crises

Increased alertness/energy
Increased cardiovascular activity
Increased respiratory activity
Increased muscle tone

Parasympathetic Division Organization

Preganglionic neurons in

brain stem and sacral

spinal segment
Ganglionic neurons
(peripheral ganglia) in or
near target organ
Sacral fibers form pelvic
nerves

The Autonomic Nervous System

Effects of Parasympathetic Activation

Relaxation
Food processing
Energy absorption
Brief effects at specific sites

Basic Structural Components of the PNS

Sensory receptors pick up stimuli from inside or outside the body

Motor endings axon terminals of motor neurons innervate effectors
(muscle fibers and glands)
Nerves and ganglia
Nerves bundles of peripheral axons
Ganglia clusters of peripheral neuronal cell bodies

Nerves
Nerves cablelike organs in the PNS
Consists of numerous axons wrapped
in connective tissue
Endoneurium layer of delicate connective

tissue surrounding the axon

Perineurium connective tissue wrapping
surrounding a nerve fascicle
Nerve fascicles groups of axons bound into
bundles

Epineurium whole nerve is surrounded by

tough fibrous sheath

Axon is surrounded by Schwann cells

Cranial Nerves

Attach to the brain and pass through foramina

of the skull
Numbered from IXII
Cranial nerves I and II attach to the forebrain

All others attach to the brain stem

Primarily serve head and neck structures

The vagus nerve (X) extends into the abdomen

The 12 Pairs of Cranial Nerves

Figure 14.5

Olfactory Nerves (I)

Sensory nerves of smell

olfactory nerve (I)
Olfactory bulb
Olfactory tract
Optic nerve (II)
Optic chiasma
Optic tract
Oculomotor nerve (III)
Trochlear nerve (IV)
Trigeminal nerve (V)
Abducens nerve (VI)
Cerebellum
Medulla

Table 14.3 (1 of 12)

Optic Nerve (II)

Sensory nerve of vision

Filaments of
olfactory nerve (I)
Olfactory bulb
Olfactory tract

Optic nerve (II)

Optic chiasma
Optic tract
Oculomotor nerve (III)
Trochlear nerve (IV)
Trigeminal nerve (V)
Abducens nerve (VI)
Cerebellum
Medulla

Table 14.3 (2 of 12)

Oculomotor Nerve (III)

Innervates four of the extrinsic eye muscles

Filaments of
olfactory nerve (I)
Olfactory bulb
Olfactory tract
Optic nerve (II)
Optic chiasma
Optic tract

Oculomotor nerve (III)

Trochlear nerve (IV)
Trigeminal nerve (V)
Abducens nerve (VI)
Cerebellum
Medulla

Table 14.3 (3 of 12)

Trochlear Nerve (IV)

Innervates the superior oblique muscle (an

extrinsic eye muscle)
Filaments of
olfactory nerve (I)
Olfactory bulb
Olfactory tract
Optic nerve (II)
Optic chiasma
Optic tract
Oculomotor nerve (III)

Trochlear nerve (IV)

Trigeminal nerve (V)
Abducens nerve (VI)
Cerebellum
Medulla

Table 14.3 (4 of 12)

Trigeminal Nerve (V)

Provides sensory innervation to the face

Motor innervation to chewing muscles
Filaments of
olfactory nerve (I)
Olfactory bulb
Olfactory tract
Optic nerve (II)
Optic chiasma
Optic tract
Oculomotor nerve (III)
Trochlear nerve (IV)

Trigeminal nerve (V)

Abducens nerve (VI)
Cerebellum
Medulla

Abducens Nerve (VI)

Abducts the eyeball innervates lateral

rectus muscle
Filaments of
olfactory nerve (I)
Olfactory bulb
Olfactory tract
Optic nerve (II)
Optic chiasma
Optic tract
Oculomotor nerve (III)
Trochlear nerve (IV)
Trigeminal nerve (V)

Abducens nerve (VI)

Cerebellum
Medulla

Table 14.3 (6 of 12)

Facial Nerve (VII)

Innervates muscles of facial expression

Facial nerve (VII)

Vestibulocochlear
nerve (VIII)
Glossopharyngeal
nerve (IX)
Vagus nerve (X)
Accessory nerve (XI)
Hypoglossal nerve (XII)

Table 14.3 (7 of 12)

Vestibulocochlear Nerve (VIII)

Sensory nerve of hearing and balance

Facial nerve (VII)

Vestibulocochlear
nerve (VIII)
Glossopharyngeal
nerve (IX)
Vagus nerve (X)
Accessory nerve (XI)
Hypoglossal nerve (XII)

Table 14.3 (8 of 12)

Glossopharyngeal Nerve (IX)

Innervates structures of the tongue and

pharynx

Facial nerve (VII)

Vestibulocochlear
nerve (VIII)

Glossopharyngeal
nerve (IX)
Vagus nerve (X)
Accessory nerve (XI)
Hypoglossal nerve (XII)

Table 14.3 (9 of 12)

Vagus Nerve (X)

A mixed sensory and motor nerve - Wanders into thorax and abdomen

Facial nerve (VII)

Vestibulocochlear
nerve (VIII)
Glossopharyngeal
nerve (IX)

Vagus nerve (X)

Accessory nerve (XI)
Hypoglossal nerve (XII)

Table 14.3 (10 of 12)

Accessory Nerve (XI)

An accessory part of the vagus nerve -innervates

trapezius muscle

Facial nerve (VII)

Vestibulocochlear
nerve (VIII)
Glossopharyngeal
nerve (IX)
Vagus nerve (X)

Accessory nerve (XI)

Hypoglossal nerve (XII)

Table 14.3 (11 of 12)

Hypoglossal Nerve (XII)

Runs inferior to the tongue - innervates the tongue

muscles

Facial nerve (VII)

Vestibulocochlear
nerve (VIII)
Glossopharyngeal
nerve (IX)
Vagus nerve (X)
Accessory nerve (XI)

Hypoglossal nerve (XII)

Table 14.3 (12 of 12)

Spinal Nerves

31 pairs contain thousands of

nerve fibers
Connect to the spinal cord
Named for point of issue from the
spinal cord

8 pairs of cervical nerves (C1C8)

12 pairs of thoracic nerves (T1T12)
5 pairs of lumbar nerves (L1L5)
5 pairs of sacral nerves (S1S5)
1 pair of coccygeal nerves (Co1)

Spinal Nerves
Connect to the spinal cord
by the dorsal root and
ventral root

Dorsal root contains

sensory fibers
Dorsal root ganglion of
afferent cell bodies
Ventral root contains
motor fibers arising from
anterior gray column

Branch into dorsal ramus

and ventral ramus both

contain sensory and motor
fibers
Rami communicantes
connect to the base of the
ventral ramus and lead to
the sympathetic chain
ganglia

Spinal Nerves
Ventral root
Dorsal root
Dorsal root
ganglion
Dorsal ramus
of spinal nerve
Ventral ramus
of spinal nerve
Spinal nerve
Rami communicantes
Sympathetic trunk
(chain) ganglion
(a)

White matter
Gray matter
Dorsal and ventral
rootlets of spinal
nerve

Innervation of the Back

Dorsal rami

Innervate back muscles

Follow a neat, segmented pattern
Innervate a horizontal strip of muscle and skin
In line with emergence point from the vertebral column

Innervation of the Thoracic region

Ventral rami arranged in simple, segmented pattern

Intercostal nerves supply intercostal muscles, skin, and
abdominal wall

Each gives off lateral and anterior cutaneous branches

Introduction to Nerve Plexuses

Nerve plexus a network of nerves
Ventral rami (except T2 T12)
Branch and join with one

another
Form nerve plexuses

Cervical
Brachial
Lumbar
Sacral

Primarily serve the limbs

Fibers from ventral rami
crisscross

The Cervical Plexus

Buried deep in the neck under the sternocleidomastoid muscle

Formed by ventral rami of first four cervical nerves (C 1 4)
Most are cutaneous nerves
Some innervate muscles of the anterior neck

Brachial Plexus

Brachial plexus lies in the neck and axilla

Formed by ventral rami of C5 C8 give rise to cords
Cords give rise to main nerves of the upper limb

Figure 14.9d

Lumbar Plexus

Arises from L1 L4

Smaller branches innervate the posterior abdominal wall and psoas

muscle
Main branches innervate the anterior thigh

The Sacral Plexus

Arises from spinal nerves L4S4

Often considered with the lumbar plexus referred to as the lumbosacral plexus
Sciatic nerve the largest nerve of the sacral plexus is actually two nerves in one sheath

Tibial nerve innervates most of the posterior lower limb

Common fibular (peroneal) nerve innervates muscles of the anterolateral leg