How the Peripheral Nervous System Works

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the system of nerves and ganglia outside the brain and spinal cord. The PNS consists of the peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junctions, cranial nerves, and spinal nerves. This system also carries information to and from the central nervous system. It's responsible for many body functions, from sensing body temperature to controlling muscle movements.

When you think about the body's nervous system, the brain and spinal cord probably come to mind. Beyond those vital command centers, however, is an intricate network of nerves that stretch throughout your entire body—the peripheral nervous system. The PNS is responsible for relaying essential messages to and from the brain and spinal cord.

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is made up of two divisions: the somatic nervous system and the autonomic system. Each part of this system plays a vital role in how information is communicated throughout the body.

Keep reading to learn more about what the peripheral nervous system is, how it works, and its influence on how the body functions, including what happens when there is a problem affecting the PNS.

What Is the Peripheral Nervous System, Exactly? The body's nervous system is divided into two parts: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes all the nerves that branch out from the brain and spinal cord and extend to other body parts, including muscles and organs. The nerves of the PNS extend from the central nervous system to the outermost areas of the body. The peripheral system allows the brain and spinal cord to receive and send information to other areas of the body, which allows us to react to stimuli in our environment.

The PNS is composed of nerves that are responsible for carrying signals between the central nervous system and the parts of the body that lie outside the CNS. This includes information from the senses, organs, and muscles.

The axons of these nerve cells are bundled together and can be found throughout the body. Information is received by the dendrites of these cells, the information travels down the axon to the cell body. The message can then be communicated to other cells.

The nerves that make up the peripheral nervous system connect with either the spinal cord or brain to transmit information to the CNS.

The main nerves that make up the peripheral nervous system include:

Brachial plexus
Femoral nerve
Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
Peroneal nerve
Sciatic nerve
Spinal accessory nerve
Tibial nerve

Spinal Nerves

Spinal nerves are responsible for transmitting information from the muscles, organs, and glands to the spinal cord. There are 31 spinal nerves that branch out to different areas of the body from the spinal cord.

Cranial Nerves

The cranial nerves are responsible for the receptors found in the head and neck area. Instead of connecting with the spinal cord, these nerves travel directly to the brain. There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves that transmit motor and sensory information from areas including the face, mouth, eyes, nose, and ears.

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