Dominic Stone
The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which is all of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord. It allows us to move and control muscles throughout our body and feeds information from our senses of smell, sound, taste, and touch to our brain. The somatic nervous system contains afferent nerves that travel from the periphery toward the CNS, and efferent nerves that send signals from the CNS to the periphery. The main function of the somatic nervous system is to connect the CNS with organs and striated muscles to perform our daily functions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Subdivision of the peripheral nervous system |
| Location | Outside the CNS (brain and spinal cord) |
| Function | Connects the CNS with organs and striated muscles |
| Controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles | |
| Controls involuntary movement of internal organs | |
| Receives sensory input from four of the five senses | |
| Receives sensory input from the sense of touch below the neck | |
| Receives somatosensory information | |
| Sends motor instructions to muscles | |
| Sends motor instructions out of the spinal cord | |
| Composition | 43 different segments of nerves |
| 12 pairs of cranial nerves | |
| 31 pairs of spinal nerves | |
| Afferent (sensory) nerves | |
| Efferent (motor) nerves | |
| Susceptibility | Damage can be caused by viruses, bacteria, medications, medical procedures, poisons, toxins, and trauma |
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What You'll Learn
Somatic nervous system and voluntary muscle control
The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which includes all nervous systems except the brain and spinal cord. The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary muscle control and movement throughout the body. It carries signals from the brain to the muscles, allowing for movement. It also feeds information from the senses of smell, sound, taste, and touch to the brain.
The somatic nervous system is made up of both afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) nerves. The sensory nerves conduct information from the senses to the brain, while the motor nerves conduct information from the brain to the muscles. These nerves allow the somatic nervous system to control and influence body movements, such as moving the arms and legs.
The somatic nervous system is also involved in the reflex arc, which uses interneurons to perform reflexive actions. Additionally, it is associated with the spinal nerves, which carry somatosensory information and motor instructions out of the spinal cord. The spinal nerves form a web of interconnected nerve roots, providing an essential safety measure to protect the vital functions of the body.
Damage to the somatic nervous system can occur due to infections, medications, poisons, toxins, and trauma. For example, nerve damage can be caused by viruses such as HIV, bacteria such as Borrelia burgdorferi (which causes Lyme disease), and shingles. Certain antibiotics and chemotherapy medications can also affect the somatic nervous system. Toxic heavy metals like mercury or lead can damage somatic nervous tissue, leading to muscle control problems. Similarly, injuries that cause nerve damage can result in long-term or permanent impairment to somatic nervous system tissue.
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Somatic nervous system's role in sensory input
The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which is all of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord. It is responsible for carrying motor and sensory signals to and from the central nervous system (CNS).
The somatic nervous system plays a vital role in initiating and controlling the movements of the body. It is responsible for nearly all voluntary muscle movements. It also carries signals from the brain to the muscles, allowing humans to move around. It is associated with involuntary movements known as reflexes, or reflex actions. These reflexes are controlled by a neural pathway known as a reflex arc.
The somatic nervous system is also responsible for processing sensory information that arrives via external stimuli. It processes the senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The somatic nervous system is not involved in the processing of sight, as this sense is controlled directly by the brain.
The somatic nervous system contains two main types of neurons (nerve cells): sensory neurons, also known as afferent neurons, and efferent neurons, or motor neurons. Sensory neurons are responsible for carrying information from the body to the CNS. They conduct information from the sensory receptors in the body to the CNS, which processes and integrates the various sources of information to allow the body to develop a response. Efferent neurons are responsible for sending signals from the CNS to the periphery.
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Spinal nerves and their function
The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which is all of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord. The somatic nervous system allows us to move and control muscles throughout the body. It also feeds information from our senses—smell, sound, taste, and touch—to our brain.
Spinal nerves are bundles of nerve fibres connected to the spinal cord that carry information to and from the spinal cord. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, each roughly corresponding to a segment of the vertebral column. These nerves branch out further and become the nerves that spread throughout our body. The spinal nerves have a variable course, horizontal in the cervical region and increasingly oblique in an inferolateral direction as the spinal cord descends.
The spinal nerves are composed of both sensory and motor fibres that function as the intermediary between the central nervous system (CNS) and the periphery. They transmit sensory, motor, and autonomic impulses between the spinal cord and the rest of the body. The spinal nerves carry somatosensory information and motor instructions out of the spinal cord. They arise from the spinal cord as nerve roots, merge to form a web of interconnected nerve roots, and then branch out again to form nerve fibres.
The eight cervical nerve pairs (C1-C8) are the first to branch off from the spinal cord as it extends away from the brain. They supply the head, scalp, pituitary gland, inner and middle ear, and part of the impulses for the sympathetic nervous system. C2 is responsible for sensation at the back of the head, and C3 is responsible for sensation at the scalp and the sides of the face. T1 and T2 supply nerve function to the top of the chest and the arms, while T3, T4, and T5 supply the chest and upper organs of the thoracic cavity. The upper thoracic nerves play a part in breath control. T6, T7, and T8 provide the nerve network for some of the chest and abdomen, and L1 is the first lumbar nerve, responsible for sensations around the groin and genitals and motor control of the hips.
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Nerve damage causes
The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which is all of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord (CNS). The somatic nervous system allows us to move and control muscles throughout our body via electrical impulses. It also feeds information from our senses—smell, sound, taste, and touch—to our brain.
Nerve damage can be caused by various factors, including:
Infections
Viral infections such as HIV or bacterial infections like Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, can lead to nerve damage. Shingles is another common example that can result in lingering nerve pain.
Medications and medical procedures
Certain antibiotics and chemotherapy medications for cancer can damage areas of the somatic nervous system. Nerve damage can also occur as a side effect of surgery.
Poisons and toxins
Toxic heavy metals like mercury or lead can damage somatic nervous tissue, leading to sensation and muscle control problems. Many industrial chemicals can also cause similar damage.
Trauma
Injuries causing nerve damage can result in long-term or permanent damage to somatic nervous system tissue. Swelling from injuries can put excessive pressure on peripheral nerves, leading to nerve compression disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and sciatica.
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Somatic nervous system and skeletal muscles
The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which includes all of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord. The somatic nervous system allows humans to move and control skeletal muscles throughout the body. It also feeds information from four of the five senses (smell, sound, taste, and touch) into the brain. The retina and optic nerve connect directly to the brain, so sight is the exception.
The somatic nervous system is responsible for all the functions that can be consciously influenced, including moving arms, legs, and other body parts. It consists of both afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) nerves. The afferent nerves travel from the body toward the CNS, and the efferent nerves are responsible for sending signals from the CNS to the body. The brain and spinal cord are responsible for processing and integrating the various sources of information to allow us to develop a response. Therefore, the main function of the somatic nervous system is to connect the CNS with organs and skeletal muscles to perform daily functions.
The basic motor pathway involves the upper motor neurons in the precentral gyrus (primary motor cortex), which sends signals through the corticospinal tract via axons in the spinal cord to the lower motor neurons. These signals travel through the ventral horn of the spinal cord synapse with the lower motor neurons and send their signals through peripheral axons to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of skeletal muscle. The upper motor neuron releases neurotransmitters acetylcholine, which binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the alpha-motor neurons, creating a stimulus that propagates towards the NMJ, which innervates muscles.
Diseases affecting the peripheral nerve fibers of the somatic nervous system are called peripheral neuropathy. They can be classified according to their causes, including congenital and acquired diseases. Severe trauma to the upper extremities can result in mixed transection of both motor and sensory somatic peripheral nerves, which can lead to functional losses without surgical management. This condition can seriously affect the patient's overall quality of life. To regain function, these nerves can be transected and reconstructed to permit axonal regeneration into distal target muscles and terminal receptors in the skin.
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Frequently asked questions
The somatic nervous system is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which is all of your nervous system except your brain and spinal cord.
The somatic nervous system allows you to move and control muscles throughout your body. It also feeds information from four of your senses — smell, sound, taste and touch — into your brain.
The nerves in the somatic nervous system deliver information from your senses to your brain. They also carry commands from your brain to your muscles so you can move around.
The somatic nervous system consists of both afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) nerves.
