 Delivers somatic and visceral sensory information to the CNS.  Sensation: information gathered by a sensory receptor

◦ Processing in the thalamus:  Determines whether you perceive sensation as fine touch, as pressure, or as vibration Sensory homunculus: visualizes the connection between different body parts and areas in brain hemispheres.

◦ Provides voluntary control over skeletal muscles  Homunculus provides indication of how much fine motor control available hands, face, and tongue are capable of varied and complex movements

 Subconscious control over skeletal muscle tone (neck, trunk and limbs) * Controls responses to equilibrium sensations (balance)

 Somatic Nervous System (SNS) ◦ Operates under conscious control ◦ SNS controls skeletal muscles  Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) ◦ Operates without conscious instruction ◦ ANS controls visceral effectors ◦ Coordinates system functions: cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, reproductive

 Sympathetic division:  increases alertness, metabolic rate, and muscular abilities  "fight or flight" "fight or flight"  Parasympathetic division:  reduces metabolic rate, conserves energy and promotes digestion  “rest and digest” COMPARE