Neuroscience Fundamentals Practice Test 2025 - Free Neuroscience Practice Questions and Study Guide

The somatic nervous system is responsible for controlling voluntary movements, which are actions that individuals consciously choose to perform. This system governs the activity of skeletal muscles, enabling precise and purposeful movements as well as fine motor skills, such as writing, driving, or playing a musical instrument. The signals originate from the central nervous system and travel through the somatic pathways, allowing deliberate control over muscle contractions.

In contrast, involuntary movement is managed by the autonomic nervous system, which regulates bodily functions that occur automatically, like heart rate and digestion. Reflexive movements typically happen automatically in response to stimuli and are processed through spinal reflex arcs, often without conscious thought. Automatic bodily functions, which are also under the control of the autonomic nervous system, include respiration, digestion, and other essential processes that do not require conscious effort. These distinctions clarify why voluntary movement is specifically associated with the somatic nervous system, setting it apart from the other types of movement.