The enteric nervous system is part of which broader nervous system?

The enteric nervous system is part of which broader nervous system?

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

Answer: (A)

The enteric nervous system is part of the peripheral nervous system. It sits in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract as a network of neurons—the myenteric and submucosal plexuses—that regulate gut motility and secretion. Its neurons are outside the brain and spinal cord, which is the defining feature of the peripheral nervous system. It can operate autonomously to coordinate local gut reflexes, yet it also communicates with the brain and spinal cord via autonomic pathways, linking it to the autonomic nervous system. This distinguishes it from the central nervous system, and its everyday role is quite different from the somatic system, which handles voluntary movement and conscious sensation.

The enteric nervous system is part of the peripheral nervous system. It sits in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract as a network of neurons—the myenteric and submucosal plexuses—that regulate gut motility and secretion. Its neurons are outside the brain and spinal cord, which is the defining feature of the peripheral nervous system. It can operate autonomously to coordinate local gut reflexes, yet it also communicates with the brain and spinal cord via autonomic pathways, linking it to the autonomic nervous system. This distinguishes it from the central nervous system, and its everyday role is quite different from the somatic system, which handles voluntary movement and conscious sensation.