Anatomy of the Sympathetic Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference in the specificity of the responses brought about by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems?

A

Parasympathetic - localised

Sympathetic - mass response

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2
Q

Describe the outflow of the sympathetic nervous system.

A

Thoracolumbar - T1 - L2/L3

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3
Q

Other than the dorsal and ventral horns, what other feature do parts of the thoracolumbar spinal cord have?

A

Lateral Horn - where the sympathetic preganglionic fibres originate

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4
Q

What is the difference between the White and Grey rami communicantes?

A

White - going into the sympathetic trunk

Grey - going out of the sympathetic trunk

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5
Q

What is the difference in the direction of ventral and dorsal flow?

A

Ventral - OUTflow

Dorsal – Inflow

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6
Q

What can happen to the preganglionic neuron once it reaches the sympathetic ganglion via the white ramus?

A

It can travel up and down the sympathetic trunk and synapse in another ganglion at a different level.
It can synapse at that particular ganglion.
It can go through the ganglion and synapse in a subsidiary ganglion (e.g. coeliac ganglion or superior mesenteric ganglion)

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7
Q

State the number of ganglia in each of the four regions.

A
Cervical = 3
Thoracic = 11/12
Lumbar = 4/5
Pelvic = 4/5
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8
Q

Where do the splanchnic nerves arise and where do they go?

A

They originate in the thorax and move down to the abdomen through the diaphragm. You get the greater, lesser and least splanchnic nerves.

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9
Q

Describe the outflow of the parasympathetic nervous system.

A

Craniosacral

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10
Q

State the levels of the sacral outflow and the nerves they go through.

A

S2-S4

Goes to pelvic viscera via pelvic splanchnic nerves

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11
Q

How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?

A

12

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12
Q

What four cranial nerves make up the cranial parasympathetic outflow?

A

Occulomotor, facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus

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13
Q

Where is the ganglion of the occulomotor nerve (III)?

A

Ciliary ganglion

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14
Q

What does the facial nerve (VII) innervate? State the ganglia of the facial nerve.

A

Facial muscles and two of the three salivary glands (submandibular and sublinguinal glands)
Ganglia: submandibular and pteropalatine

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15
Q

What does the glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) innervate and where is its ganglion?

A

Innervates the third salivary gland - parotid gland

Ganglion = Otic ganglion

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16
Q

What structure does the vagus nerve go through in the neck?

A

Carotid sheath - contains the carotid artery and internal jugular

17
Q

State the two plexuses in the enteric nervous system and the layer in which they are found.

A

Submucosa = Meissner’s Plexus

Myenteric plexus = Auerbach’s Plexus

18
Q

What are the 6 parts of a neurological examination?

A
Appearance
Mental State
Gait and Station
Motor System
Cranial Nerves 
Sensation
19
Q

What are the two ways you can do an EMG?

A

Intracellular - determine the difference in potential (EMF) between inside and outside the axon
Extracellular - determine the difference in potential between two points (both outside the neuron) along a nerve

20
Q

What can an EEG be used to diagnose?

A

Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, Tumour