Some Terms Used to Describe Components of the Nervous System
Criteria
Terms
Location
CNS; PNS (includes ANS)
Embryology
Somatic; Visceral
Direction of information travel relative to CNS
Afferent (Sensory); Efferent (Motor)
Function
Effector; Integrator; Receptor;
Position relative to pharyngeal pouches
Posttrematic; Pretrematic
Position relative to cranium
Cranial nerves; Spinal nerves
Functional divisions of ANS
Parasympathetic; Sympathetic