Afferent (redirected from Afferents)

afferent /af·fer·ent/ (af´er-ent)

1. conveying toward a center.

2. something that so conducts, such as a fiber or nerve.

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af·fer·ent (fr-nt)

adj.

Carrying inward to a central organ or section, as nerves that conduct impulses from the periphery of the body to the brain or spinal cord.

n.

An afferent organ or body part, such as a blood vessel.

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Afferent

Refers to peripheral nerves that transmit signals to the spinal cord and the brain. These nerves carry out sensory function.

Mentioned in: Peripheral Neuropathy

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afferent (af´rnt),

adj conveying from a periphery to a center.

afferent impulse,

n an impulse that arises in the periphery and is carried into the central nervous system. An afferent nerve conducts the impulse from the site of origin to the central nervous system.

afferent nerves,

n.pl See nerves, afferent, in pulp. See also afferent impulse.

afferent nervous system,

n. the sensory nerves, a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system. Afferent nerves receive sensory input.

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afferent

conducting toward a center or specific site of reference; incoming.

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afferent arterioles

branches of the interlobular arteries of the kidney that supply the glomerular capillaries of the renal corpuscle.

afferent loop syndrome

chronic partial obstruction of the proximal loop (duodenum and jejunum) after gastrojejunostomy, resulting in duodenal distention, pain and nausea following ingestion of food.

afferent nerve

any nerve that transmits impulses from the periphery toward the central nervous system. See also neuron, afferent nerve fibers (below).

afferent nerve fibers

nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system carrying information to the brain and spinal cord. Their cell bodies are in ganglia and their telodendria in the central nervous system.

afferent nervous activity

the number of afferent nerve fibers that are activated by the stimulus. This depends on the number of receptive fields that are included in the zone being stimulated.

afferent system

the collective sensory fibers from all parts of the body.