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Peripheral nerve anatomy

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Peripheral nerves relay information from the central nervous system to the periphery. Their anatomical structure can be considered in terms of the constituent parts:

  • neurones
  • glial cells
  • connective tissue
  • blood supply

Groups of neurones organise together as a fascicle. The way fascicles arrange in nerves is predictable according to the distance from the spinal cord:

  • monofascicular nerves:
    • have one fascicle alone
    • can be either pure motor or sensory
    • examples include the terminal branches of digital vessels
  • oligofascicular:
    • several fascicles within nerve
    • again, usually purely motor or sensory but occasionally of mixed function
    • eg common digital nerves
  • polyfascicular:
    • major nerves containing fascicles with different functions eg sensory and motor
    • eg ulnar nerve
    • extensively mapped for the larger nerves in cadaveric studies:
      • detail the position of groups of motor fascicles in relation to sensory fascicles
      • help in approximating the correct fascicles for function when nerves are repaired

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