Peripheral nervous system

• Made up of all nerves in the body
• Involved in the transmission of information to and from the CNS
• Nerves in the PNS relay information from sensory receptors to the CNS and from the CNS to the effectors
• Connects the CNS to the organs, limbs and skin 
• Carries sensory and motor information to and from the CNS
• Nerves in the PNS can be divided into the somatic (voluntary) and autonomic (involuntary) types 
• The voluntary nerves are under our conscious control (influencing the skeletal muscles)
• Autonomous system is involuntary and consists of nerves involved in a range of unconscious responses such as changes in the heart rate, gland activity and the activity of a range of body systems 
• Autonomic system is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems 
• PNS can be divided into two separate parts 

  • Somatic nervous system
  • Autonomic nervous system