Which term describes the division of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord?

Which term describes the division of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord?

• A. Central nervous system
• B. Autonomic nervous system
• C. Somatic nervous system
• D. Peripheral nervous system

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is identifying which part of the nervous system lies outside the brain and spinal cord. That network is the peripheral nervous system, which includes all the nerves reaching out to the limbs and organs and carries signals to and from the central nervous system. It also contains two major functional subdivisions: the autonomic system, which handles involuntary functions, and the somatic system, which controls voluntary movements. The central nervous system, by contrast, is made up of the brain and spinal cord, not the outside network. The autonomic and somatic systems are parts of the peripheral nervous system, not the overall division itself. So, the term for the division outside the brain and spinal cord is the peripheral nervous system.

The main idea here is identifying which part of the nervous system lies outside the brain and spinal cord. That network is the peripheral nervous system, which includes all the nerves reaching out to the limbs and organs and carries signals to and from the central nervous system. It also contains two major functional subdivisions: the autonomic system, which handles involuntary functions, and the somatic system, which controls voluntary movements. The central nervous system, by contrast, is made up of the brain and spinal cord, not the outside network. The autonomic and somatic systems are parts of the peripheral nervous system, not the overall division itself. So, the term for the division outside the brain and spinal cord is the peripheral nervous system.