Chapter 13, Problem 1CP

Name the structures of the central nervous system (CNS) and of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The structures of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.

Introduction:

Central nervous system comprises mainly of brain and spinal cord. It culminates all the information from other parts of the body and processes the information.

Peripheral nervous system comprises of nerves in the rest of the body namely cranial and spinal nerves except the brain and the spinal cord. It is important because it sends and receives signals to and from, other parts of the body.

Explanation of Solution

The components of the central nervous system are the brain and the spinal cord.

• Brain is a complex organ which is formed by the amalgamation of billions of neurons. These neurons are interconnected and communicate among themselves via signals.
• The spinal cord can be considered an extension of brain. It is a bundle of neurons in a tube like form that arises from the medulla oblongata and terminates at the lumbar region.

The components of peripheral nervous system are the cranial nerves and spinal nerves.

• Cranial nerves arise from the brain. There are twelve types of cranial nerves that aid in the functioning of the smell, vision, movement of eyes, hearing, ability to swallow, maintaining balance of body and the sense of touch
• Spinal nerves arise from the spinal cord and are distributed all over the body. There are thirty one forms of spinal nerves that emerge from the spinal cord and branches into the body to reach every corner of the body.