After getting my tattoo, I accidentally scratched my new tattoo because it was itching. __ nerves informed my brain that my arm was hurting and that I needed to stop scratching. afferent efferent sympathetic limbic
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is afferent.
Afferent nerves are responsible for transmitting sensory information from the body to the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain and spinal cord. In this scenario, when you scratched your new tattoo and experienced pain, sensory receptors in your skin detected the injury, and the afferent nerves transmitted signals from the site of the scratch to your brain. These signals were then processed in the brain, which interpreted them as pain, prompting a response to stop scratching.
To clarify the other options:
- Efferent nerves: These are motor nerves that carry signals from the CNS to muscles or glands. For example, if you decided to stop scratching, the efferent nerves would carry the signal to your muscles to initiate the action of withdrawing your hand. Efferent nerves are involved in movement or action, not sensation.
- Sympathetic nervous system: This is part of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for the body’s “fight or flight” responses, like increasing heart rate and preparing muscles for action. While it plays a role in how your body reacts to stress or injury, it is not directly involved in transmitting the sensory information related to the pain of scratching your tattoo.
- Limbic system: This part of the brain is involved in emotions and memory. While it may play a role in how you emotionally respond to pain, it doesn’t directly handle the transmission of pain signals from the skin to the brain.
Therefore, the afferent nerves were responsible for informing your brain about the pain you were experiencing after scratching your tattoo.
