autonomic nerves in the head and neck /orbits part 2 (A21) Flashcards
organs of the head and neck
- skin
- blood vessels
- brain
- eyes
- glands
- trachea
- oesophagus
components of the organs of the head and neck supplied by the nervous system
- skin (sympathetic innervation of arterioles/veins, sweat glands and erector pili muscles)
- blood vessels 9all of the bodies arterioles receive sympathetic innervation)
- brain (the brain is insensitive therefore no somatic sensory innervation and has no motor function as it is not a muscle)
- eyes (the anterior surface is sensitive to touch/somatic sensory innervation via CNVa, and the smooth muscle of the iris involved in pupil diameter/the smooth muscle associated with the lens involved in focusing = somatic motor)
- glands eg. sweat glands of the skin, major and minor salivary glands, lacrimal gland, mucous glands of the airway and GI tract all receive sympathetic innervation
- trachea is similar to the larynx in that it is supplied by somatic sensory as it is sensitive to inhaled stimulants
- oesophagus (there is a mid oesophageal transition from striated muscle that receives somatic motor innervation, to smooth muscle that receives autonomic innervation)
how do sympathetic nerve fibres get from the CNS/central nervous system to organs of the head and neck and what are the neurotransmitters involved in synapse
- preganglionic fibres travel from the CNS to the CERVICAL part of the sympathetic chain (ganglion=synapse between axon of preganglionic neurone and cell body of postganglionic fibre) where they synapse (involving acetylcholine)
- postganglionic fibre travels from ganglion to organ where it synapses (neurotransmitter involved = noradrenaline)
neurotransmitter (s) involved in sympathetic nervous system synapse
- acetylcholine (synapse between preganglionic fibre and ganglion)
- neurotransmitter (synapse between postganglionic fibre and organ)
cervical part of the sympathetic chain
- contains:
- > superior
- > middle
- > and inferior cervical sympathetic ganglia
how do the preganglionic sympathetic nerve fibres from the spinal cord reach the ganglion of the cervical part of the sympathetic chain
-they exit the spinal cord in T1 spinal nerve -> travel upwards in the sympathetic chain -> synapse in one of the cervical sympathetic ganglia (cervical part of sympathetic chain has superior, middle and inferior cervical sympathetic ganglia)
how do the post ganglionic sympathetic nerve fibres get from the cervical part of the sympathetic chain to the organs of the head and neck
- the internal and external carotid nerves postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibres within nerves coming from the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion travel to the surface of the carotid arteries to be carried to the skin and organs in the head and neck
- > the internal carotid nerve travels from superior cervical sympathetic ganglion to the surface of the internal carotid artery
carotid peri-arterial plexuses
- the internal and external carotid nerves postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibres within these nerves give rise to plexuses on the carotid arteries
- the plexuses are made up of:
- > postganglionic sympathetic fibres carried by all branches of externernal carotid artery (on the surface of the artery) to be distributed to all extra-cranial structures eg. facial and scalp skin, salivary glands, mucous glands, smooth muscle etc
- > postganglionic sympathetic fibres carried into the cranial cavity on the internal carotid artery to be distributed via its branches (including ophthalmic artery to the orbit/eye) and also the deep petrosal nerve follows this artery
branches of the external carotid artery
- ascending pharyngeal artery
- superior thyroid artery
- lingual artery
- facial artery
- occipital artery
- posterior auricular artery
- maxillary artery
- superficial temporal artery
how do parasympathetic nerve fibres get from the CNS/central nervous system to organs of the head and neck and what are the neurotransmitters involved in synapse
- preganglionic fibres travel from the CNS to the parasympathetic ganglion (synaps between axon of preganglionic neurone and cell body of postganglionic fibre where they synapse (involving acetylcholine)
- postganglionic fibre travels from parasympathetic ganglion to organ where it synapses (neurotransmitter involved = acetylcholine)
neurotransmitter (s) involved parasympathetic nervous system synapse
-acetylcholine (synapse between preganglionic fibre and ganglion AND synapse between postganglionic fibre and organ)
parasympathetic nerve synapse/ parasympathetic ganglions
- preganglionic parasympathetic nerve fibres travel via cranial nerves III (oculomotor), VII (facial), IX (glossopharyngeal) and X (vagus) to the specific parasympathetic ganglia where they synapse:
- in the head and neck:
- > CN III (oculomotor nerve) synapses at the ciliary ganglion (eye)
- > CN VII (facial nerve) synapses at the pterygopalatine ganglion AND at the submandibular ganglion
- > CN IX (glossopharyngeal nerve) synapses at the otic ganglion (parotid)
- in the enteric system/GI tract:
- the presynaptic fibres directly synapse on other thoracic/abdominal viscera and the postsynaptic fibres will synapse on the organs
- > CN X (vagus nerve) preganglionic parasympathetic fibres synapse onto postganglionic neurons with short axons in ganglia within the walls of the organs of the chest and upper abdomen eg. heart and lungs
- > sacral spinal nerves carry preganglionic parasympathetic fibres to organs of the lower abdomen, pelvis and perineum
ganglion
-contains cell bodies of the post synaptic fibres and is where the pre synaptic fibres synapse
sacral spinal nerves
carry preganglionic parasympathetic fibres to organs of the lower abdomen, pelvis and perineum
what ganglion do parasympathetic fibres carried in CNIII (oculomotor nerve) synapse at
ciliary ganglion (eye)
what ganglion (s) do parasympathetic fibres carried in CN VIII (facial nerve) synapse at
pterygopalatine ganglion AND submandibular ganglion
what ganglion do parasympathetic fibres carried in CN IX (glossopharyngeal nerve) synapse at
otic ganglion (parotid)
where do parasympathetic fibres carried in CN X (vagus nerve) synapse
-preganglionic parasympathetic fibres synapse onto postganglionic neurons with short axons in ganglia within the walls of the organs of the chest and upper abdomen eg. heart and lungs