Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):This part of the nervous system exists outside the brain and spinal cord. The PNS is one of the two key divisions of the nervous system, with the other being the Central Nervous System (CNS), which includes the brain and spinal cord. The nerves in the PNS link the CNS to sensory organs like the eyes and ears, as well as to other body organs, muscles, blood vessels, and glands. The peripheral nerves encompass the 12 cranial nerves, the spinal nerves and roots, and what are known as autonomic nerves. Autonomic nerves are responsible for involuntary body functions, specifically regulating the heart, small muscles in the walls of blood vessels, and glands. In anatomy and medicine, "peripheral" contrasts with "central" and denotes a location away from the center. The term "peripheral" is derived from the Greek "peripheria" ("peri-", meaning around or about, and "pherein", meaning to bear or carry). An intravenous (IV) line is an example of a peripheral line.
