He believed that nerves do not originate from the heart, as was the Aristotelian belief, but that nerves stemmed from the brain.

The nerve to piriformis originates in the sacral plexus.

The great auricular nerve originates from the cervical plexus, composed of branches of spinal nerves C2 and C3.

The nerve to obturator internus originates in the sacral plexus.

This results in the fact that sacral spinal nerves actually originate in the upper lumbar region.

The radial nerve originates as a terminal branch of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus.

For example, the pudendal nerve may actually originate off of the Sciatic nerve.

The ulnar nerve originates in nerve roots C7, C8 and T1.

The lateral sural cutaneous nerve originates from the Common fibular nerve.

Since the cranial nerves originate from the brainstem, damage to this area can lead to defects in the function of these nerves.