Definition of afferent - What is it, Meaning and Concept

The adjective afferent has its etymological origin in the Latin word affĕrens .In the broadest sense, this qualifier applies to that which translates or carries something .

The notion is often used in the field of biology and anatomy .An afferent It is a formation whose function is to transmit substances or energy from one sector of the body to another more relevant in this context.By extension, substances or stimuli that are transmitted in this way are called afferent.

The afferent neurons , in this context, are responsible for the transport of nerve impulses from the receiving organs to the central nervous system ( SNC ); the reverse process is developed by the efferent neurons , which carry nerve impulses out of the CNS .These neurons have a single dendrite, large extension, and a short axon ; its body has a rounded appearance and a smooth texture.

An afferent neuron, therefore, moves the impulse towards the CNS from the sectors that are around it.You can distinguish between the neurons visceral afferents (which are responsible for stimuli from viscera) and somatic afferent neurons (related to pain , temperature, etc.).

In this context, we can say that human beings perceive the world around us through the physiological mechanisms that take place when we process afferent information; Some of the key points are the conversion into nerve activity encoded from the energy coming from the stimulus, thanks to which we access data such as the location, intensity, duration and quality of the stimulus in question.

The coding of the action potentials gives rise to several temporal patterns, by means of various nerve fibers. code is the representation of the data that comes from the outside world and, as it happens with frequency when interpreting a symbol may differ considerably from the elements it represents.

Sometimes it happens that coded afferent information is incorporated into the conscious knowledge of the material environment, that is, it has a conscious correlation.This type of information is known as sensory , while The experience of the events and objects of the world around us that occurs consciously and enters through nervous processing is called perception .

The afferent neuron body is located in small nodes that are located on both sides of the spine .It is divided into two parts: the peripheral fiber, which extends to a termination sensitive and is the largest; one that penetrates the spinal cord through the dorsal root.

In the nervous system there are three phenomena that are related to each other in a kind of circle: sensation, decision and reaction .It is a process that takes place through the action of afferent neurons, efferents and interneurons.A very common example can be the contact with the flame of a candle, which follows a sensation of pain, then that the information has been carried to the brain through afferent neurons, a reaction to pain and a decision regarding the way in which we will relate to fire in the future.

The afferent system , also known as sensory system , is dedicated to the processing of sensory data.The five senses are part of the afferent system, which allows to receive the stimulus then transmit it and enable the necessary response in each case, according to the characteristics of the stimulus in question.

It is known as afferent arterioles , finally, the blood vessels that supply the nephrons (the most important functional units of the kidneys).These vessels help regulate the blood pressure .