Autonomic and Somatic Nervous Systems - Efferent Neural Function

Question 1

Any nervous tissue located outside of the brain and spinal cord

Answer 1

Peripheral Nervous System

Question 2

Functions of PNS

Answer 2

Sensing the environment, activating tissue/organ responses

Question 3

The 2 divisions of PNS are…

Answer 3

Somatic (muscles and movement) and Autonomic (internal organs)

Question 4

A bundle of neuron axons in the PNS

Answer 4

Nerve (cranial and spinal)

Question 5

A grouping of nerve cell bodies in the PNS

Answer 5

Ganglion

Question 6

How many pairs of cranial nerves?

Answer 6

12

Question 7

Name a cranial nerve that is sensory (axons bring message to brain from body).

Answer 7

Optic – function is vision; neurons from retina

-Arises from diencephalon

Question 8

Name a cranial nerve that is motor (axons bring message away from brain/spinal cord).

Answer 8

Hypoglossal – function is motor to muscles of tongue

-Arises from medulla

Question 9

Name a cranial nerve that is mixed (some neurons from the CNS, some to the CNS).

Answer 9

Facial – Sensory to tongue/mouth and Motor to salivary glands, facial expression muscles

function sensory (taste) to rostral 2/3rds of tongue; parasympathetic to salivary and lacrimal glands; motor to muscles of facial expression

Question 10

Spinal Nerves

Answer 10

• Sensory and motor (leave through ventral root) from the spinal cord.
• ALL spinal nerves are MIXED
• Location implies function

Question 11

Somatic Nervous System

Answer 11

• motor info to muscles
• one neuron between spinal cord and muscle
• no synapse until you get to target tissue (neuromuscular junction)
• NT = acetylcholine
• Always excitory

Question 12

What effector cells are innervated in the somatic? How many neurons in a “motor response”?

Answer 12

Skeletal muscle

1 neuron with the cell body in the grey matter

Question 13

What effector cells are innervated in the autonomic? How many neurons in a “motor response”?

Answer 13

Smooth muscle, visceral tissues

2 neurons with a synapse in the periphery (in a ganglion)

Question 14

In the spinal nerves, sensory always…

Answer 14

Enter through dorsal root (horn) ONLY

Question 15

In the spinal nerves, motor always…

Answer 15

Leave through ventral root (horn) ONLY

Question 16

The Autonomic can be…

Answer 16

Excitory or inhibitory

Question 17

Autonomic Nervous System divided into…

Answer 17

Sympathetic
Enteric
Parasympathetic

Question 18

SHORT pre-ganglionic axon, LONG post-ganglionic axon

Thoracolumbar: region of the spinal cord where the ganglion (synapse) is

Answer 18

Sympathetic

Question 19

LONG pre-ganglionic neuron, SHORT post-ganglionic neuron

Craniosacral: region of spinal cord where the ganglion (synapse) is

Answer 19

Parasympathetic

Question 20

Sympathetic

1. ) Function
2. ) Types of receptors
3. ) Location of synapse
4. ) Length of axons

Answer 20

1. ) Fight or Flight
2. ) Mainly adrenergic
3. ) Thoracolumbar
4. ) Short pre-ganglionic neuron

Question 21

Parasympathetic

1. ) Function
2. ) Types of receptors
3. ) Location of synapse
4. ) Length of axons

Answer 21

1. ) Rest and digest
2. ) Mainly cholinergic
3. ) Craniosacral
4. ) Short post-ganglionic neuron

Question 22

With regards to spinal nerves, the sensory neurons enter the spinal cord through the __________ horn and motor neurons leave the spinal cord through the _________ horn

Answer 22

Sensory - dorsal

Motor - ventral

Question 23

T or F: There is a single neuron that travels from the spinal cord to the target tissue

Answer 23

True

Question 24

T or F: The neurotransmitter used at the target tissue is acetylcholine

Answer 24

True

Question 25

T or F: Target tissues of the somatic nervous system include internal organs and smooth
muscle

Answer 25

False

Question 26

T or F: Neurons in the somatic nervous system always have an excitory effect on the target
tissue

Answer 26

True

Question 27

When this branch of the autonomic nervous system is activated, effects include an
increase in heart rate and a decrease in digestive function

Answer 27

Sympathetic

Question 28

The motor portion of the sympathetic nervous system has two neurons: the axon of the
pre-ganglionic neuron is relatively _______ and the axon of the post-ganglionic neuron is
relatively_______.

Answer 28

Short, long

Question 29

What neurotransmitter is released from the post-ganglionic neurons in the
parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 29

Acetylcholine