What are the two major functional divisions of the nervous system?

What are the two major functional divisions of the nervous system?

• A. Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
• B. Enteric nervous system and autonomic nervous system
• C. Somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system
• D. Somatic nervous system and visceral nervous system

Answer: (D)

Two functional divisions are somatic and visceral (autonomic) control. The somatic system handles voluntary actions and conscious sensation—think of the nerves that move your skeletal muscles and the pathways you use to feel touch or know where your limb is in space. The visceral, or autonomic, system regulates involuntary activities of internal organs—heart rate, digestion, glandular secretions, and smooth muscle activity—without you having to think about it. Because the question groups voluntary control with involuntary regulation, identifying somatic and visceral (autonomic) as the two major functional divisions is the best fit. The enteric system lives inside the autonomic realm and is often considered part of it, rather than a separate major division.

Two functional divisions are somatic and visceral (autonomic) control. The somatic system handles voluntary actions and conscious sensation—think of the nerves that move your skeletal muscles and the pathways you use to feel touch or know where your limb is in space. The visceral, or autonomic, system regulates involuntary activities of internal organs—heart rate, digestion, glandular secretions, and smooth muscle activity—without you having to think about it. Because the question groups voluntary control with involuntary regulation, identifying somatic and visceral (autonomic) as the two major functional divisions is the best fit. The enteric system lives inside the autonomic realm and is often considered part of it, rather than a separate major division.