The somatic peripheral nervous system is composed of neurons that control the "soma" or body. They specifically control which of the following?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about what the somatic peripheral nervous system (PNS) controls.
Option 1: 'involuntary reflexes' — While reflexes can involve skeletal muscles, involuntary reflexes are typically categorized as reflex pathways that operate without conscious control. These are often discussed in the context of the somatic nervous system, but describing the somatic PNS as controlling 'involuntary reflexes' is imprecise, since reflexes can be mediated by either somatic motor pathways or by autonomic pathways depending on the reflex type.
Option 2: 'muscles' — This is the core function of the somatic PNS: it contains motor neurons that innervate skeletal (voluntary) muscles to produce movement and participate in reflex arcs. This aligns directly with the definition of the somatic nervous system.
Option 3: 'organs' — Control of internal organs is primarily the domain of the autonomic (visceral) PNS, which regulates smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glandular activity. The somatic PNS does not primarily govern organ function.
Option 4: 'special senses' — The special senses (vision, hearing, balance, taste, smell) involve sensory pathways and cranial nerves; while some sensory information travels through the PNS, the somatic PNS is principally about motor control of skeletal muscle rather than sensory processing of special senses. This option conflates sensory functions with motor control.
Overall, the description most accurately aligned with the somatic PNS is that it controls the muscles, particularly skeletal muscles involved in voluntary movement and somatic reflexes.

hk_264_120258_248438 Chapter 7 Self Test: Nervous System and Special Senses

The somatic peripheral nervous system is composed of neurons that control the "soma" or body. They specifically control which of the following?

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