Autonomic & Limbic Systems Flashcards
What is the autonomic nervous system responsible for?
Control of involuntary bodily functions
Where are the autonomic nuclei found in the brain?
Forebrain and brainstem (pons, medulla & hypothalamus)
What systems does the hypothalamus integrate autonomic response with?
Limbic (behaviour/emotion/motivations), endocrine (hormonal response), somatic nervous system (motor behaviour to maintain homeostasis)
What are the three vegetative functions regulated by the hypothalamus?
Body temperature, fluid/electrolyte volume and blood pressure and feelings of hunger/satiety
What do the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems innervate?
Cardiac and smooth muscle, glandular tissue and visceral reflexes
What does the enteric system innervate?
Digestive reflexes in the gastrointestinal tract
In the somatic & autonomic nervous systems, upper motor neurons in the brain innervate lower motor neurons.
Where are the lower motor neurons located in each system?
Somatic: CNS (spinal cord)
Autonomic: Autonomic ganglion
How many synapses occur in the somatic motor pathway and what neurotransmitter is used?
One, ACh
Describe the structure of the sympathetic neural pathway
- Sympathetic ganglia located close to the spinal cord
- Short preganglionic fibres, long postganglionic fibres
- Mainly adrenergic fibres (preganglionic)
Describe the structure of the parasympathetic neural pathway
- Parasympathetic ganglia located close to the effector tissues
- Long preganglionic fibres, short postganglionic fibres
- Mainly cholinergic fibres
What neurotransmitters are used by the sympathetic and parasympathetic neural pathways and where?
Both preganglionic: ACh
Sympathetic postganglionic: Norepinephrine & ACh
Parasympathetic postganglionic: ACh
What does the second synapse in the ANS neural pathways allow for?
Divergence (stimulating multiple organs/tissues at once)
Describe the relationship between sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic axons
Anatomically complimentary, target the same organs (antagonistic)
Where are the three points at which the preganglionic fibres synapse in the sympathetic nervous system?
- Ganglia of sympathetic chain it enters
- Ganglia of sympathetic chain higher or lower
- Peripheral sympathetic ganglia (e.g. deep digestive organs)
What root/ramus do the sympathetic preganglionic nerve fibres exit the spinal cord through?
Vemtral root, white ramus
75% of parasympathetic nerves leave the CNS through which nerve?
Vagus nerve (cranial nerve X)
Where are parasympathetic postganglionic nerve fibres located?
In the walls of organs, containing very short axonal fibres
Neural cells that release norepinephrine are said to be what?
Adrenergic neurons
Neural cells that release ACh are said to be what?
Cholinergic neurons
What type of neurons are all autonomic preganglionic neurons?
Cholinergic neurons
What postganglionic neurons of the sympathetic system are cholinergic?
Sweat glands, hair cell muscles & some blood vessels
What are the two major classes of receptors ACh binds to?
Muscarinic and nicotinic