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REPORT FOR PYSCOLOGY!!!
The Peripheral Nervous System, or PNS, is a subdivision of the Nervous System. The other subdivision is the Central Nervous System, or CNS. The peripheral nervous system works closely with the central nervous system. Sensory neurons detect things that affect your external environment, things relating to sight, sounds, smell, temperature, body positions, etc. These neurons then send this information to the central nervous system. The central nervous system processes this information and then uses motor neurons to send out the message of how to respond to your muscles and glands. The Peripheral Nervous System, similar to the Nervous system, also has two subdivisions; the Somatic Nervous System, and Autonomic Nervous System.
The Somatic Nervous System contains both sensory and motor neurons. The somatic nervous system is the reason why we can see, hear, smell, taste, feel, etc. When the brain receives messages from the somatic nervous system it sends out different neurons to the somatic nervous system that controls purposeful body movements or actions. Eating, drinking, writing and reading are all examples of voluntary actions or purposeful movements.
The autonomic, or automatic, nervous system is a little more complex. It regulates the glands and muscles of internal organs. It controls our activities such as heartbeat, respiration, digestion and dilation of the pupils…all our unconscious behaviors. It also triggers certain factors of various emotions. The autonomic nervous system is divided into three branches: the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and the enteric nervous systems. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are the two most commonly discussed.
The sympathetic nervous system is the most active process. It prepares the body for an emergency, for “fight or flight”. It stimulates your heartbeat, enlarges your pupils, stops digestion, and raises blood pressure. These reactions are strengthened when messages are sent to the endocrine system to start pumping chemicals into the bloodstream. Sympathetic nerve fibers are connected to every internal organ in the body which is why reactions are so widespread; the system however, can also isolate and affect a single organ.
The parasympathetic nervous system connects to every organ that the sympathetic nervous system connects too. This system however is complete opposite of the sympathetic division. Once the sympathetic division has kicked into gear it continues to run, this is where the parasympathetic division comes in play. It cools down the body that the sympathetic division has stimulated. Pupils go back to normal, heartbeat decrease, blood pressure decreases, digestion resumes to normal, etc.
The peripheral nervous system can suffer from trauma, and diseases like any other part of the body. Damage to the PNS or diseases of the PNS usually results in peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is where nerves outside of the spinal cord have problems functioning. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy consist of numbness, weakness, burning pain, and loss of reflexes. This pain may be severe and disabling.
One of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy is repetitive activity. Examples include typing or working on an assembly line. In these cases the neuropathy may be isolated and work to the point where it simply cannot handle it anymore, similar to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Another cause of peripheral neuropathy is trauma or injury. Examples include falling, sport-related injury, or car accidents. In cases like this too much pressure is placed on the nerves causing the nerve to be stretched, crushed, compressed, torn or even in severe cases completely detached from the spinal cord. Pain might not be immediate and signs of damage make take a while to appear.
Poisoning from drugs can cause peripheral neuropathy. When this happens, the peripheral neuropathy usually involves sensory nerves on both sides of the body, particularly in the hands and feet, where pain is a common symptom. A few of the drugs that have been linked with peripheral neuropathy include metronidazole, an antibiotic; phenytoin, an anticonvulsant; and simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering medication. Neuropathy is an unusual side effect of medications; therefore, most people can use these drugs safely.
Alcoholism can lead to peripheral neuropathy. Alcohol can lead to extensive nerve damage. Vitamins E, B1, B6, B12, and niacin are essential to healthy nerve function. The deficiency of vitamin B1 is the cause of beriberi, a disease characterized by heart failure and painful polyneuropathy of sensory nerves. Since Alcoholics usually don’t have healthy eating habits, these are the vitamins they sufficiently lack. Malnutrition can also lead to peripheral neuropathy and in both cases numbness of the feet and hands usually occurs.
Infections and autoimmune disorders can cause peripheral neuropathy. Viruses and bacteria that can attack nerve tissues include herpes, cytomegalovirus, and the Epstein-Barr virus. These viruses severely damage sensory nerves causing attacks of sharp, sudden pain.
To treat peripheral neuropathy the underlying condition is treated first, followed by treating the symptoms. Peripheral nerves have the ability to regenerate, as long as the nerve cell itself has not been killed. Symptoms often can be controlled, and elimination the cause of specific forms of neuropathy often can prevent new damage. Some cases, however, cannot be treated.
The Peripheral Nervous System, or PNS, is a subdivision of the Nervous System. The other subdivision is the Central Nervous System, or CNS. The peripheral nervous system works closely with the central nervous system. Sensory neurons detect things that affect your external environment, things relating to sight, sounds, smell, temperature, body positions, etc. These neurons then send this information to the central nervous system. The central nervous system processes this information and then uses motor neurons to send out the message of how to respond to your muscles and glands. The Peripheral Nervous System, similar to the Nervous system, also has two subdivisions; the Somatic Nervous System, and Autonomic Nervous System.
The Somatic Nervous System contains both sensory and motor neurons. The somatic nervous system is the reason why we can see, hear, smell, taste, feel, etc. When the brain receives messages from the somatic nervous system it sends out different neurons to the somatic nervous system that controls purposeful body movements or actions. Eating, drinking, writing and reading are all examples of voluntary actions or purposeful movements.
The autonomic, or automatic, nervous system is a little more complex. It regulates the glands and muscles of internal organs. It controls our activities such as heartbeat, respiration, digestion and dilation of the pupils…all our unconscious behaviors. It also triggers certain factors of various emotions. The autonomic nervous system is divided into three branches: the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and the enteric nervous systems. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are the two most commonly discussed.
The sympathetic nervous system is the most active process. It prepares the body for an emergency, for “fight or flight”. It stimulates your heartbeat, enlarges your pupils, stops digestion, and raises blood pressure. These reactions are strengthened when messages are sent to the endocrine system to start pumping chemicals into the bloodstream. Sympathetic nerve fibers are connected to every internal organ in the body which is why reactions are so widespread; the system however, can also isolate and affect a single organ.
The parasympathetic nervous system connects to every organ that the sympathetic nervous system connects too. This system however is complete opposite of the sympathetic division. Once the sympathetic division has kicked into gear it continues to run, this is where the parasympathetic division comes in play. It cools down the body that the sympathetic division has stimulated. Pupils go back to normal, heartbeat decrease, blood pressure decreases, digestion resumes to normal, etc.
The peripheral nervous system can suffer from trauma, and diseases like any other part of the body. Damage to the PNS or diseases of the PNS usually results in peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is where nerves outside of the spinal cord have problems functioning. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy consist of numbness, weakness, burning pain, and loss of reflexes. This pain may be severe and disabling.
One of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy is repetitive activity. Examples include typing or working on an assembly line. In these cases the neuropathy may be isolated and work to the point where it simply cannot handle it anymore, similar to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Another cause of peripheral neuropathy is trauma or injury. Examples include falling, sport-related injury, or car accidents. In cases like this too much pressure is placed on the nerves causing the nerve to be stretched, crushed, compressed, torn or even in severe cases completely detached from the spinal cord. Pain might not be immediate and signs of damage make take a while to appear.
Poisoning from drugs can cause peripheral neuropathy. When this happens, the peripheral neuropathy usually involves sensory nerves on both sides of the body, particularly in the hands and feet, where pain is a common symptom. A few of the drugs that have been linked with peripheral neuropathy include metronidazole, an antibiotic; phenytoin, an anticonvulsant; and simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering medication. Neuropathy is an unusual side effect of medications; therefore, most people can use these drugs safely.
Alcoholism can lead to peripheral neuropathy. Alcohol can lead to extensive nerve damage. Vitamins E, B1, B6, B12, and niacin are essential to healthy nerve function. The deficiency of vitamin B1 is the cause of beriberi, a disease characterized by heart failure and painful polyneuropathy of sensory nerves. Since Alcoholics usually don’t have healthy eating habits, these are the vitamins they sufficiently lack. Malnutrition can also lead to peripheral neuropathy and in both cases numbness of the feet and hands usually occurs.
Infections and autoimmune disorders can cause peripheral neuropathy. Viruses and bacteria that can attack nerve tissues include herpes, cytomegalovirus, and the Epstein-Barr virus. These viruses severely damage sensory nerves causing attacks of sharp, sudden pain.
To treat peripheral neuropathy the underlying condition is treated first, followed by treating the symptoms. Peripheral nerves have the ability to regenerate, as long as the nerve cell itself has not been killed. Symptoms often can be controlled, and elimination the cause of specific forms of neuropathy often can prevent new damage. Some cases, however, cannot be treated.