somatic nervous system

The somatic nervous system controls voluntary skeletal muscle movement and conveys conscious sensory information from the body surface, muscles, and joints to the CNS. It includes the cranial and spinal nerves innervating skin and skeletal muscles.

The somatic nervous system controls voluntary, conscious actions and conveys conscious sensations. The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions like heart rate and digestion. Somatic motor pathways use a single neuron to reach skeletal muscle, while autonomic pathways use two-neuron chains.

Peripheral sensory receptors in the somatic nervous system detect mechanical, thermal, and nociceptive (pain) stimuli from the skin, muscles, and joints. These signals are transmitted via afferent neurons through spinal or cranial nerves to the brain for conscious processing.