The sensory, or afferent, division carries information from sensory receptors regarding touch, temperature, pain, and position sense toward the central system for processing. Its primary role is to serve as a two-way communication highway, transmitting sensory information from the body to the CNS and carrying motor commands from the CNS to muscles and glands.
Efferent Division Signal Transmission Mechanisms in the Peripheral Nervous System
This system is the body's direct interface with the external world and internal physiology. Feature Central Nervous System (CNS) Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Location Brain and Spinal Cord Nerves and Ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord Protection Bone (skull, spine), meninges, cerebrospinal fluid Less direct physical protection Primary Function Integration, processing, command center Transmission, connection, reflex arcs Regeneration Capacity Generally very limited Generally better capacity, especially in peripheral nerves Interdependence in Action The relationship between the central and peripheral systems is not one of separation but of interdependence.
While the central system acts as the command center, the peripheral system serves as the expansive communication network that connects every corner of the body to the brain and spinal cord. This vast network includes cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and ganglia that extend to the fingertips, toes, and internal organs.
Efferent Division Signal Transmission Mechanisms in the Peripheral Nervous System
The Peripheral Network: Reach and Responsiveness The peripheral nervous system, or PNS, encompasses all the neural tissue located outside the brain and spinal cord. Functionally, the peripheral nervous system is divided into sensory and motor divisions.
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