Chapter 2 - The somatic nerve, the autonomic nerve

Abstract

The nervous system consists of four kinds of nerves: the somatic sensory nerve from receptor around the skeletal muscle (e.g., receptor in the skin), the somatic motor nerve to the skeletal muscle (voluntary muscle), the visceral sensory nerve from the receptor around the smooth or cardiac muscle (e.g., receptor in the gastrointestinal tract), and the visceral motor nerve (autonomic nerve) to the smooth or cardiac muscle (involuntary muscle). This chapter explores two pathways of the somatic sensory nerve (spinothalamic tract and medial lemniscus pathway), one pathway of the somatic motor nerve (corticospinal tract). Additional content is two components of the visceral motor nerve (sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves). Comprehension of the pathways is enhanced by practice with stained slices of the brainstem and spinal cord (or their photos).