![]() They are diseases that affect peripheral nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord that impact peripheral nerve fibres which can cause what is known as peripheral neuropathy. Damage to the Somatic Nervous Systemĭiseases of the somatic nervous system can be diseases that have occurred since birth or that have been acquired postnatally in childhood or adulthood. Sensory information is sent via afferent nerves to the spinal cord which relays the message via efferent nerves to pull your hand away quickly. This is likely so as to return a quick response to help minimise damage from a perceived dangerous stimuli.Īn example of a reflex arc might be putting your hand on a hot metal plate. This pathway differs to normal functions in the SNS as the sensory signal is not sent to the brain, but instead only to the spinal cord. Reflex arcs are neural pathways which produce an involuntary response in response to stimuli that may be perceived as danger or an emergency. The electrical signals are converted into a neurochemical message in the neuromuscular junction which is then transmitted across the synapse to the muscle tissue which actions the response.Īs well as voluntary movements, the somatic nervous system is also responsible for reflexive actions known as reflex arcs. An electrical signal is then sent out of the central nervous system via motor neurons that connect to skeletal muscle. This information is sent to the brain via the sensory neurons where the information is interpreted. The SNS regulates almost all voluntary movements in the body.Įnvironmental changes are detected by receptors in the sensory neurons these can be neurons connected to the skin to sense touch, temperature, texture, etc., receptors in the eyes, mouth, or any others where sensory information is received. The somatic nervous system is responsible for transmitting sensory information from the outside world and responding to that information through muscle movement. Hypoglossal nerve – ability to move tongue.Accessory nerve – Shoulder and neck muscle movement.Vagus nerve – Sense of digestion and heart rate.Glossopharyngeal nerve – Ability to taste and swallow.Auditory/vestibular nerve – sense of hearing and balance.Facial nerve – sensory information and control of facial expressions and sense of taste.Trigeminal nerve – Sense of sensations in cheeks, face, jaw, and taste.Trochlear nerve – Ability to move eyes up and down, or left and right.Oculomotor nerve – Ability to blink and move eyes.The 12 pairs of cranial nerves are categorised based on their function and are as follows: Cranial nerves are categorised as 12 pairs of nerves in the back of your brain that connect to facial muscles, as well as sensory organs such as the nose, mouth, ears and eyes. The transmission of acetylcholine across across the synapse excites the muscle receiving the information, causing the muscle to contract in response to the external environment.Ĭranial nerves also play a role in the somatic nervous system as they send and receive information from your face neck and torso in response to the external environment. This is a highly specialised synapse located at the terminal of the motor neuron and the muscle fibre. The electrical signal that is passed down the motor neuron from the CNS is converted into a neurochemical message in the neuromuscular junction. ![]() While in the autonomic nervous system, acetylcholine is an inhibitor, its role in the somatic nervous system is excitatory. The primary neurotransmitter in the somatic nervous system is acetylcholine which has a number of functions across the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system. ![]() This information provides a motor response to the sensory information received from the external environment. As such, the electric signals received from the afferent nerves are interpreted and chemical motor information is relayed out of the CNS towards the skeletal muscles in the body. The E in ‘efferent corresponds to the prefix ex-, meaning ‘out of’. The neurons, known as sensory neurons, are long in structure and extend from the spinal column to the sensory organs. As such, the afferent nerves carry electrical sensory information from the sensory organs towards the central nervous system where the signals are interpreted. The A in ‘afferent’ corresponds to the prefix ad-, meaning ‘to’ or ‘toward’.
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