Which body system is composed of all the nerves that connect the areas of the body with the brain?

• A. Central nervous system
• B. Autonomic nervous system
• C. Peripheral nervous system
• D. Somatic nervous system

Answer: (C)

All the nerves that connect the rest of the body to the brain belong to the peripheral nervous system. This system includes the cranial and spinal nerves that carry sensory information from the body to the brain and motor commands from the brain to muscles and organs. The central nervous system, in contrast, consists of the brain and spinal cord alone. The peripheral nervous system also has subdivisions—the autonomic system for involuntary functions and the somatic system for voluntary movement and conscious sensation. So the described network of nerves is the peripheral nervous system.