somatic sensory versus autonomic sensory

[tym]

Are somatic sensory and autonomic sensory systems different on where they operate? i.e. pain receptor on muscles/skins versus pain receptor on liver? Or do they both have receptors everywhere on the body?

Thanks in advance!

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[TheMightyTexan]

The sensory portion of the ANS receives signals primarily from the viscera (the organs
inside the ventral body cavity). EK - ch 4 pg. 93

So for an answer, yes i believe it would be correct to assume when debating a question that ANS sensory receptors would be visceral. However, intuitively that leaves me wondering about the Doc hitting your patella reflex..

 

[Shirafune]

I didn't know there was ANS and SNS sensory information. I thought the flow of information to the reaction was like this:

afferent sensory neurons -> CNS -> integration/processing -> autonomic OR somatic efferent neurons -> effector organ

I think in the grand scheme of things, it would make sense to have sensory receptors and efferent neurons innervate the same organs so that the stimulus and response are closely coupled.

 

[Gauss44]

I have the same question as OP, so I would like to resurrect this thread. Please answer or re-answer if you can. Please and thank you.

 

[EParker37]

The mighty texan had it correct, the ANS primarily receives information from the viscera, and also it contains a lot of our chemoreceptors and some of the functions of taste and smell. The somatic nervous system tends to convery sensory information from the skin and muscles. The patellar reflex would in fact be a somatic reflex arc, that exhibits both direct and interneuron regulated reflexes, the interneuron side is the inhibitory signal to the hamstring, aka reciprocal innervation. ANS reflex arcs involve the internal organs.