The

Peripheral
Nervous System
(PNS)
 The PNS
• Consists of the nerves that
branch out from the central
nervous system (CNS) and
connect it to other body
parts

• Includes the cranial nerves

that arise from the brain
and the spinal nerves that
arise from the spinal cord
 The PNS
• Can be subdivided into
somatic and autonomic
nervous system
• Somatic nervous system
✓ Consist of the cranial and
spinal nerve fibers that
connect the CNS to the skin
and skeletal muscles, so it is
involved with conscious
activities

• Autonomic nervous system

✓ Includes the fibers that
connect the CNS to visceral
organs, thus is concerned with
unconscious actions
 The PNS
(Structure)
• Consists of bundles of nerve
fibers surrounded by
connective tissues

• Epineurium
✓ outermost later
✓ Dense and is made up of many
collagenous fibers

• Perineurium
✓ Encloses each bundle of nerve
fibers (fascicle)
✓ A sleeve of less dense
connective tissue
 The PNS
(Structure)
• Endoneurium
✓ Surrounds individual nerve
fibers
✓ Small amount of loose
connective tissue

• Blood vessels are usually

found in the epineurium and
perineurium and they give
rise to network of capillaries
in the endoneurium
 Cranial Nerves

• Designated either by
number or by name

• Numbers indicate the order

in which the nerves arise
from the brain, going from
anterior to posterior

• Names describe their

primary functions or the
general distribution of their
fibers
 Cranial Nerves
Olfactory (I)

Sensory

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with the sense

of smell
 Cranial Nerves
Optic (II)

Sensory

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with the sense

of vision
 Cranial Nerves
Oculomotor (III)

Motor

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to muscles that raise the

eyelids, move the eyes, adjust the amount of light entering
the eyes and focus the lenses
• Some sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with the
condition of muscles
 Cranial Nerves
Trochlear (IV)

Motor

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to muscles that move the

eyes

• Some sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with the

condition of muscles
 Cranial Nerves
Trigeminal (V)
(Ophthalmic Division)

Mixed

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses from the surface of the

eyes, tear glands, scalp, forehead and upper eyelids
 Cranial Nerves
Trigeminal (V)
(Maxillary Division)

Mixed

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses from the upper teeth,

upper gum, upper lip, lining of the palate and skin of the
face
 Cranial Nerves
Trigeminal (V)
(Mandibular Division)

Mixed

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses from the scalp, skin of the

jaw, lower teeth, lower gum and lower lip

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to muscles of mastication

and to muscles in the floor of the mouth
 Cranial Nerves
Abducens (VI)

Motor

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to the muscles that move

the eyes

• Some sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with the

condition of the muscles
 Cranial Nerves
Facial (VII)

Mixed

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with taste

receptors of the anterior tongue

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to the muscles of facial

expression, tear glands and salivary glands
 Cranial Nerves
Vestibulocochlear
(VIII)
(Vestibular Branch)

Sensory

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with the sense

of equilibrium
 Cranial Nerves
Vestibulocochlear
(VIII)
(Cochlear Branch)

Sensory

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses associated with the sense

of hearing
 Cranial Nerves
Glossopharyngeal
(IX)

Mixed

• Sensory fibers transmit impulses from the pharynx, tonsils,

posterior tongue and carotid arteries

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to salivary glands and to

muscles of the pharynx used in swallowing
 Cranial Nerves
Vagus (X)

Mixed

• Somatic sensory fibers transmit impulses to muscles

associated with speech and swallowing; autonomic motor
fibers transmit impulses to the heart and to smooth muscles
and glands of visceral organs in the thorax and abdomen
• Sensory fibers transmit impulses from the pharynx, larynx,
esophagus and visceral organs of the thorax and abdomen
 Cranial Nerves
Accessory (XI)
(Cranial Branch)

Motor

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to the muscles of the soft

palate, pharynx and larynx
 Cranial Nerves
Accessory (XI)
(Cranial Branch)

Motor

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to the muscles of the neck

and back
 Cranial Nerves
Hypoglossal (XII)

Motor

• Motor fibers transmit impulses to the muscles that move

the tongue
 Spinal Nerves

• 31 pairs originating from

the spinal cord

• Mixed nerves and they

provide two-way
communication between
the spinal cord and parts
of the arms, legs, neck
and trunk
 Spinal Nerves

• Grouped according to the level

from which they arise and
each nerve is numbered in
sequence

✓ Cervical nerves (C1-C8) – 8 pairs

✓ Thoracic nerves (T1-T12) – 12
pairs
✓ Lumbar nerves (L1-L5) – 5 pairs
✓ Sacral nerves (S1-S5) – 5 pairs
✓ Coccygeal nerves (S1-S5) – 1 pair
 Spinal Nerves

• Cauda equina

✓ Horse’s tail
✓ Structure formed by descending
nerves

• Each spinal nerve emerges from the

cord by two short branches or roots
which lie within the vertebral
column
 Spinal Nerves
• Dorsal root (posterior o
sensory root) – can be
identified by an enlargement
called the dorsal root ganglion
✓ Contains cell bodies of sensory
neurons whose dendrites
conduct impulses inward from
the peripheral body parts
✓ The axons of these neurons
extend through the dorsal root
and into the spinal cord, where
they form synapses with
dendrites of other neurons
 Spinal Nerves
• Ventral Root (anterior or
motor root) of each spinal
nerve consists of axons from
the motor neurons whose cell
bodies are located within the
gray matter of the cord

• Both roots unite to form a

spinal nerve which extends
outward from the vertebral
canal through an
intervertebral foramen

• Beyond its foramen, each

spinal nerve divides into
 Spinal Nerves
• Meningeal branch

✓ Reenters the vertebral canal

through the invertebral foramen
and supplies the meninges and
blood vessels of the cord as well
as the intervertebral ligaments
and the vertebrae
 Spinal Nerves
• Posterior branch
✓ Turns posteriorly and innervates
the muscles and skin of the back

• Anterior branch
✓ Continues forward to supply
muscles and skin on the front
and sides of the trunk and limbs

• Visceral branch
✓ Fourth branch of the thoracis
nerves in the thoracic and
lumbar regions which is part of
the autonomic nervous system
 Spinal Nerves
• Except in the thoracic region,
anterior branches of the spinal
nerves combine to form
complex networks called
plexuses instead of continuing
directly to the peripheral body
parts

• In a plexus, the fibers of

various spinal nerves are
sorted and recombined so that
fibers associated with a
particular peripheral body
part reach it in the same
nerve, even though the fibers
originate from different spinal
 Spinal Nerves
• Cervical Plexus
✓ Lie deep in the neck on either
side

✓ Formed by the anterior branches

of the first four cervical nerves

✓ Fibers supply the muscles and

skin of the neck

✓ Fibers from the 3rd, 4th and 5th

cervical nerves pass into the
right and left phrenic nerves
which conducts motor impulses
to the muscle fibers of the
diaphragm
 Spinal Nerves
• Brachial plexuses
✓ Anterior branches of the lower
four cervical nerves and first
thoracic nerve
✓ Located deep within the
shoulders between the neck and
the axillae

✓ Major branches:

1. Musculocutaneous nerves
• Muscles of the arms on the
anterior sides and the skin
of the forearms
 Spinal Nerves
• Brachial plexuses
✓ Major branches:

2. Ulnar nerves
• Muscles of the forearms
and hands and the skin of
the hands

3. Median nerves
• Muscles of the forearms
and muscles and skin of
the hands
 Spinal Nerves
• Brachial plexuses
✓ Major branches:

4. Radial nerves
• Muscles of the arms on the
posterior sides and the
skin of the forearms and
hands

3. Axillary nerves
• Muscles and skin of the
upper, lateral and
posterior regions of the
arm
 Spinal Nerves
• Brachial plexuses
✓ Other branches:

1. Lateral and medial pectoral

nerves
• Pectoralis major and
pectoralis minor muscles

2. Dorsal scapular nerves

• Rhomboideus major and
levator scapulae muscles

3. Lower subscapular nerves

• Subscapularis and teres
major muscles
 Spinal Nerves
• Brachial plexuses
✓ Other branches:

4. Thoracodorsal nerves
• Latissimus dorsi muscle

5. Suprascapular nerves
• Supraspinatus and
infraspinatus
 Spinal Nerves
• Lumbosacral plexuses
✓ Formed by the last thoracic
nerve and the lumbar, sacral and
coccygeal nerves

✓ Extends from the lumbar region

of the back into the pelvic cavity
giving rise to a number of motor
and sensory fibers associated
with the lower abdominal wall,
external genitalia, buttocks,
thighs, legs and feet
 Spinal Nerves
• Lumbosacral plexuses
✓ Major branches:

1. Obturator nerves
• Adductor muscles of the
thigh

2. Femoral nerves
• Divide into many branches
supplying motor impulses
to muscles of the thigh
and legs, receiving sensory
impulses from the skin of
the thighs and lower leg
 Spinal Nerves
• Lumbosacral plexuses
✓ Major branches:
3. Sciatic nerves
• Largest and longest nerves
in the body
• Pass downward into the
buttocks and descend into
the thighs where they
divide into tibial and
common peroneal nerves
• Many branches of these
nerves supply muscles and
skin in the thighs, legs and
feet
 Spinal Nerves
• Lumbosacral plexuses
✓ Other branches:
1. Pudendal nerves
• Muscles of the perineum
2. Inferior and superior gluteal
nerves
• Gluteal muscles and the
tensor fasiae latae muscle
 Spinal Nerves
• Anterior branches of the
thoracic spinal nerves do not
enter a plexus
• They travel into spaces
between the ribs and become
intercostal nerves
• Supply motor impulses to the
intercostal muscles and the
upper abdominal wall muscles
• Receive sensory impulses from
the skin of the thorax and
abdomen
 The
Autonomi
c Nervous
System
(ANS)
 The ANS
• Portion of the peripheral
nervous system that functions
independently and
continuously without conscious
effort
• Controls visceral activities by
regulating the actions of
smooth muscles, cardiac
muscles and various glands
• Concerned with regulating
heart rate, blood pressure,
breathing rate, body
temperature and other
visceral activities that aid in
 The ANS
• Portions are also responsive
during times of emotional
stress
• Prepare the body to meet the
demands of strenuous physical
activity

• Two divisions: sympathetic and

parasympathetic
 ANS
Sympathetic
Divisions

• Paraganglionic (axon) fibers

originate from neurons within
the lateral horn of the spinal
cord
 ANS
Parasympathetic
Divisions

• Arise from neurons in the

midbrain, pons and medulla
oblongata of the brain stem
and from the sacral region of
the spinal cord
 Assignment

Describe a sympathetic
nerve pathway and a
parasympathetic nerve
pathway using a diagram.