The peripheral nervous system includes which components?

The peripheral nervous system includes which components?

• A. All components outside the CNS, including cranial nerves and ganglia, spinal nerves and ganglia, autonomic ganglia, and the enteric nervous system
• B. Brain and spinal cord
• C. Cranial nerves and ganglia
• D. Enteric nervous system only

Answer: (C)

The peripheral nervous system is all the neural elements outside the brain and spinal cord. That includes cranial nerves and their ganglia, spinal nerves and their ganglia, autonomic ganglia, and the enteric nervous system that governs the gut. So the most complete description is the one that names all of these components. Focusing only on cranial nerves and ganglia leaves out other major PNS parts, and the brain and spinal cord are part of the central nervous system, not the peripheral. The enteric system is a PNS component, not the entire peripheral system on its own.

The peripheral nervous system is all the neural elements outside the brain and spinal cord. That includes cranial nerves and their ganglia, spinal nerves and their ganglia, autonomic ganglia, and the enteric nervous system that governs the gut. So the most complete description is the one that names all of these components. Focusing only on cranial nerves and ganglia leaves out other major PNS parts, and the brain and spinal cord are part of the central nervous system, not the peripheral. The enteric system is a PNS component, not the entire peripheral system on its own.