The network of all nerves branching off the spinal cord and extending to the body is known as which system?

• A. Golgi tendon organs
• B. Muscle spindles
• C. Peripheral nervous system
• D. Central nervous system

Answer: (C)

Think about how the nervous system is organized: the brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system, while everything that extends out from them to reach the limbs, organs, and skin is the peripheral nervous system. This network of nerves is what carries sensory information to the brain and sends motor commands from the brain to the body, coordinating movement and sensation. Golgi tendon organs and muscle spindles are specific sensory receptors inside muscles that provide feedback to the CNS; they’re not the name of a larger system. So the network extending from the spinal cord to the body is the peripheral nervous system.