What part of the nervous system regulates activities over which there is voluntary control?

The somatic nervous system is responsible for regulating activities that involve voluntary control. This system oversees the skeletal muscles, which allow individuals to perform movements such as walking, picking up objects, and other deliberate actions. It operates through a series of reflex arcs and is directly involved in conscious activities.

In contrast, the autonomic nervous system governs involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate, which occur without conscious effort. The central nervous system, which comprises the brain and spinal cord, processes information and coordinates activity throughout the body but does not specifically regulate voluntary control of muscles. The peripheral nervous system encompasses both the somatic and autonomic systems, serving as a communication network between the central nervous system and the rest of the body but is too broad to specify voluntary control directly. Thus, the somatic nervous system distinctly represents the component of the nervous system that manages actions performed under voluntary control.