Which components comprise the peripheral nervous system?

• A. All the nerves that transmit information to and from the CNS
• B. Brain and spinal cord
• C. The autonomic system only
• D. Nerves inside the skull

Answer: (A)

The peripheral nervous system consists of all neural tissue outside the brain and spinal cord and functions as the communication network to and from the CNS. It includes cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and the autonomic nervous system, and it carries sensory information to the CNS as well as motor commands from the CNS to muscles and glands. The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system, so naming them as part of the peripheral system would be incorrect. The autonomic system is a part of the PNS, but focusing only on that subset omits other PNS pathways, making it incomplete. Describing nerves inside the skull covers only cranial nerves and misses the broader network of spinal and autonomic nerves, so it’s not the full picture.