Divisions of the Nervous System: Central, Peripheral, Somatic and Autonomic

Neuroscientifically Challenged

The nervous system becomes easy to understand when you see how its major divisions fit together. In this quick neuroscience lesson, the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system are broken down into simple parts, from the brain and spinal cord to the nerves that run throughout the body.  The peripheral nervous system is further split into the somatic nervous system, which carries sensory signals and controls voluntary movement, and the autonomic nervous system, which regulates internal functions like digestion and heart rate. The autonomic system is then divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers, showing the difference between fight-or-flight responses and rest-and-digest activity.  Created for students, curious viewers, and anyone looking for a clear nervous system overview, this short educational video works well as a neuroscience explainer, biology study aid, or quick refresher on central vs peripheral nervous system anatomy. It is especially useful for searchers interested in somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system, sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, and basic neuroscience learning.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to 2-Minute Neuroscience, where I simplistically explain neuroscience topics in 2 minutes or less.

00:05In this installment, I will discuss the divisions of the nervous system.

00:09There are two major divisions of the nervous system.

00:12The first is the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.

00:18The second is the peripheral nervous system, which consists of nerves that run throughout the body.

00:24The peripheral nervous system itself is made up of two subdivisions.

00:27The first is the somatic nervous system, which contains nerves that carry sensory signals from the body to the central

00:33nervous system

00:34and nerves that carry motor signals from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles.

00:38The somatic nervous system is associated with voluntary movement.

00:42When you clicked on this video to play it, the signal to depress your finger was sent from your brain

00:46to your finger via the somatic nervous system.

00:49The second division of the peripheral nervous system is the autonomic nervous system.

00:53The autonomic nervous system is sometimes called the involuntary nervous system, and it is involved in regulating the internal environment

00:59of the body.

01:00It carries signals from internal organs to the central nervous system, and from the central nervous system to the internal

01:05organs.

01:06In this way, it is involved in regulating things like digestion and heartbeat, which are generally outside the realm of

01:11conscious control.

01:13The autonomic nervous system can be further subdivided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers.

01:18The sympathetic nervous system plays a large role in stimulating and mobilizing energy resources, while the parasympathetic nervous system acts

01:25to conserve energy.

01:27For example, if you are in a frightening situation, the sympathetic nervous system will cause your heart rate to increase,

01:33your blood pressure to increase, and your sweat glands to be stimulated.

01:37If you are eating a meal, however, and are not frightened, your parasympathetic nervous system will stimulate digestion, increase salivation,

01:44and slow your heart rate.

01:46Due to these functions, the sympathetic nervous system is often described as being involved in fight-or-flight responses,

01:53while the parasympathetic nervous system is described as being involved in rest-and-digest responses.

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