54.8k views
2 votes
What is the main difference between the central nervous system (cns) and the peripheral nervous system (pns)?

User PhilDin
by
7.5k points

1 Answer

5 votes
CNS is brain and spinal cord. PNS are the sensory and motor neurons. The PNS breaks down further into the autonomic and the sensory-somatic nervous system. The autonomic breaks down further into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. It is very complex but to answer your question when you touch a hot stove sensory neurons (PNS) send a message to the brain (CNS) and the brain process that the hand is being injured and reacts by sending motor neurons (PNS) to tell the hand to pull away.
User Onin
by
8.5k points