biology

Outline of the human nervous system

Outline of the human nervous system is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Outline of the human nervous system rather than just read about it. In short: The following diagram is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the human nervous system: The human nervous system is the part of the body that coordinates a person's voluntary and involuntary actions and transmits signals between different parts of the body. The human nervous system consists of two main parts: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Key takeaways

Outline of the human nervous system belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
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Reference excerpt

The following diagram is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the human nervous system:

The human nervous system is the part of the body that coordinates a person's voluntary and involuntary actions and transmits signals between different parts of the body. The human nervous system consists of two main parts: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS contains the brain and spinal cord. The PNS consists mainly of nerves, which are long fibers that connect the CNS to every other part of the body. The PNS includes motor neurons, mediating voluntary movement; the autonomic nervous system, comprising the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system and regulating involuntary functions; and the enteric nervous system, a semi-independent part of the nervous system whose function is to control the gastrointestinal system.

Anatomy The following list of human anatomical structures is based on the Terminologia Anatomica, the international standard for anatomical nomenclature. While the order is standardized, the hierarchical relationships in the TA are somewhat vague, and thus are open to interpretation.

Central nervous system

General terms Meninges Spinal cord Gray columns White substance Brain Brainstem Cerebellum Diencephalon Telencephalon Cerebral hemisphere

Peripheral nervous system

Cranial nerves Olfactory nerve Optic nerve Oculomotor nerve Trochlear nerve Trigeminal nerve Sensory root Trigeminal ganglion Ophthalmic nerve Lacrimal nerve Frontal nerve Supra-orbital nerve Supratrochlear nerve Nasociliary nerve Posterior ethmoidal nerve Anterior ethmoidal nerve External nasal nerve Infratrochlear nerve Maxillary nerve Nasopalatine nerve Pharyngeal nerve Greater palatine nerve Lesser palatine nerves Superior alveolar nerves Zygomatic nerve Infra-orbital nerve Mandibular nerve Masseteric nerve Deep temporal nerves Buccal nerve Auriculotemporal nerve Lingual nerve Chorda tympani Sublingual nerve Inferior alveolar nerve Nerve to mylohyoid Mental nerve Abducent nerve Facial nerve Posterior auricular nerve Intermediate nerve Greater petrosal nerve Chorda tympani (also in trigeminal? redundancy?) Vestibulocochlear nerve Vestibular nerve Cochlear nerve Glossopharyngeal nerve Tympanic nerve Tympanic plexus Lesser petrosal nerve Vagus nerve Superior laryngeal nerve Recurrent laryngeal nerve Accessory nerve Hypoglossal nerve Spinal nerves Cervical nerves Suboccipital nerve Greater occipital nerve Third occipital nerve Cervical plexus Ansa cervicalis Lesser occipital nerve Great auricular nerve Transverse cervical nerve Supraclavicular nerves Phrenic nerve Brachial plexus Supraclavicular part Dorsal scapular nerve Long thoracic nerve Subclavian nerve Suprascapular nerve Subscapular nerves Lower subscapular nerve Upper subscapular nerve Thoracodorsal nerve Medial pectoral nerve Lateral pectoral nerve Infraclavicular part Musculocutaneous nerve Medial cutaneous nerve of arm Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm Median nerve Ulnar nerve Radial nerve Axillary nerve Thoracic nerves Lumbar nerves Medial clunial nerves Sacral nerves and coccygeal nerve Lumbar plexus Iliohypogastric nerve Ilio-inguinal nerve Anterior labial nerves Anterior scrotal nerves Genitofemoral nerve Lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh Obturator nerve Accessory obturator nerve Femoral nerve Saphenous nerve Medial cutaneous nerve of leg Lumbosacral trunk Sacral plexus Nerve to obturator internus Nerve to piriformis Nerve to quadratus femoris Superior gluteal nerve Inferior gluteal nerve Posterior cutaneous nerve of thigh Inferior clunial nerves Perforating cutaneous nerve Pudendal nerve Inferior anal nerves Perineal nerves Posterior labial nerves Posterior scrotal nerves Dorsal nerve of clitoris Dorsal nerve of penis Coccygeal nerve Anococcygeal nerve Sciatic nerve Common fibular nerve Lateral sural cutaneous nerve Superficial fibular nerve Deep fibular nerve Tibial nerve Interosseous nerve of leg Medial sural cutaneous nerve Sural nerve Medial plantar nerve Lateral plantar nerve

Autonomic nervous system

Sympathetic part Sympathetic trunk Rami communicantes Superior cervical ganglion Middle cervical ganglion Cervicothoracic ganglion (Stellate - should prob. include inferior cerv. ganglion) Thoracic ganglia Greater splanchnic nerve Lesser splanchnic nerve Least splanchnic nerve Lumbar ganglia Lumbar splanchnic nerves Sacral ganglia Sacral splanchnic nerves Ganglion impar Parasympathetic part Cranial part Ciliary ganglion Short ciliary nerves Pterygopalatine ganglion Nerve of pterygoid canal Submandibular ganglion Sublingual ganglion Otic ganglion Pelvic part Pelvic ganglia Parasympathetic root of pelvic ganglia = Pelvic splanchnic nerves Peripheral autonomic plexuses and ganglia Craniocervical part Internal carotid plexus Thoracic part Cardiac plexus Esophageal plexus Pulmonary plexus Abdominal part Celiac plexus Aorticorenal ganglia Superior mesenteric plexus Inferior mesenteric plexus Pelvic part Superior hypogastric plexus Inferior hypogastric plexus

Structures

Central nervous system The central nervous system (CNS) is the largest part of the nervous system and includes the brain and spinal cord.

Spinal cord

Brain Brain – center of the nervous system.

Outline of the human brain List of regions of the human brain Principal regions of the vertebrate brain:

Peripheral nervous system Peripheral nervous system (PNS) – nervous system structures that do not lie within the CNS.

Sensory system A sensory system is a part of the nervous system responsible for processing sensory information. A sensory system consists of sensory receptors, neural pathways, and parts of the brain involved in sensory perception.

List of sensory systems Sensory neuron Perception Visual system Auditory system Somatosensory system Vestibular system Olfactory system Taste Pain

Components of the nervous system Neuron Interneuron Ganglion (PNS) vs Nucleus (neuroanatomy) (CNS) except basal ganglia (CNS) Nerve (PNS) vs Tract (neuroanatomy) (CNS) White matter (more myelinated) vs Grey matter

Glial cells Glial cells, commonly called neuroglia or glia, are supportive cells that maintain homeostasis, form myelin, and provide support and protection for the brain's neurons.

Microglia Astrocyte Oligodendrocyte (CNS) vs Schwann cell (PNS)

Neuron

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Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Outline of the human nervous system

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Outline of the human nervous system claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Outline of the human nervous system before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Outline of the human nervous system ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Outline of the human nervous system

In research: Outline of the human nervous system appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Outline of the human nervous system in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Outline of the human nervous system is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Human anatomy, Outlines, Outlines of health and fitness, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Outline of the human nervous system outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Outline of the human nervous system in 20 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

What is Outline of the human nervous system in simple terms?

The following diagram is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the human nervous system: The human nervous system is the part of the body that coordinates a person's voluntary and involuntary actions and transmits signals between different parts of the body. The human nervous system consi…

Why does Outline of the human nervous system matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Outline of the human nervous system?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Outline of the human nervous system.