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A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of nerve fibers or axons, which includes the glia that ensheath the axons in myelin.
Nerves are part of the peripheral nervous
system. Afferent nerves convey sensory signals to the
brain, for example from skin or organs, while efferent nerves conduct
stimulatory signals from the brain to the muscles and glands.
These signals, sometimes called nerve impulses, are also known as action potentials: Rapidly traveling electrical waves, which begin typically in the cell body of a
neuron and propagate rapidly down the axon to its tip or "terminus."
The signals cross over from the terminus to the adjacent neuron through a gap called the synapse.
Nerves may contain fibers that all serve the same purpose; for example motor nerves, the axons of which all
terminate on muscle fibers and stimulate contraction. Or they be mixed
nerves.
Nerve can also refer to a cocky form of self-confidence. For example, "He has a lot of nerve coming
to his ex-wife's wedding!" In American English, this use of
nerve is synonymous with balls, and in Spanglish
(Spanish-influenced English) cojones may be used.
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