The somatic nervous system is the voluntary portion of the peripheral nervous system.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It is part of the central nervous system
• D. It is the autonomic nervous system

Answer: (A)

The somatic nervous system handles voluntary control of skeletal muscles and carries sensory information from the body to the central nervous system. It is a component of the peripheral nervous system, meaning it connects the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and sense organs. Because its primary role is conscious, deliberate movement and sensation, it is described as the voluntary portion of the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord, not the somatic pathways. The autonomic nervous system, in contrast, governs involuntary functions like heartbeat, digestion, and gland activity, so it is not the somatic system.