ABSTRACT
The nervous system enables the body to react to environmental and physical changes. The central nervous system (CNS) sends and processes information. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) relays information from the CNS to the periphery and vice versa. The nervous system comprises two main cell types: neurons and glial cells (cells that support neurons). Glial cells fill the extracellular space that supports the neurons. The sensory (afferent) nervous system relays impulses from superficial and deep sensory receptors. In the motor system, transmission of impulses to the muscle is via the neuromuscular junction/motor end plate. The autonomic nervous system can be divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Diagnosis of nerve injury relies primarily on clinical examination but can be supplemented by nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electromyography (EMG) to document focal or continuous abnormalities in the length of the mixed, motor or sensory nerve and also to help determine the pathological processes responsible.
