autonomic nervous system Flashcards
what is the autonomic NS
a subdivision of the peripheral NS
involved with peripheral sensation and regulation of peripheral function
what does autonomic mean
not under conscious control
the autonomic NS controls non skeletal peripheral function:
cardiac muscle
smooth muscle
internal organs
skin
summarise CNS and PNS in a flow diagram
CNS > PNS
PNS > sensory afferent division and motor efferent division
sensory afferent division > somatic sensory (external) + visceral sensory (internal)
motor efferent division > somatic motor and visceral motor
visceral motor > parasympathetic and sympathetic
which receptors respond to blood pressure
baroreceptors (where firing rate is directly proportional to pressure)
STEPS for detection of low blood pressure
drop in BP
baroreceptors are not firing off at a high rate anymore
less signal through the visceral motor neurones
parasympathetic effect reduces
sympathetic NS is usually inhibited by baroreceptor firing so reduction in firing has dropped > therefore the stimulus to inhibit sympathetic NS has decreased and can then switch on = disinhibition
sympathetic increases HR to bring BP up
(less of a positive stimulus on PS and less of a negative stimulus on the S)
where do visceral motor nuclei originate
in the hypothalamus
where do visceral motor neurones project to
the brainstem or spinal cord where they synapse with autonomic neurones (PS or S)
in general what do autonomic neurones consist of and what is the one exception
2 neurones
a preganglionic and postganglionic neuron
except for in adrenal gland - the sympathetic nerve that innervates the adrenal gland has the function and looks like a preganglionic fibre but it not
describe the parasympathetic nervous system fibres
long preganglionic fibres (originating in the brain or spinal cord) projecting down to tissue it innervates
ganglions are close to or embedded within effector tissues
short postganglionic fibres
describe the sympathetic nervous system fibres
short preganglionic fibres
ganglions close to spinal cord
long postganglionic fibres
what are sympathetic trunks and what do they allow
ganglion for sympathetic nerves
run parallel to spinal cord
more coordinated control of many sympathetic nerves at the same time
many sympathetic nerves come out of spinal cord and synapse with sympathetic trunks and allows mass activation
what NTs do preganglionic nerves release
acetylcholine
(PNS) what NT do preganglionic and postganglionic neurones release
acetylcholine
(SNS) what NTs do preganglionic fibres release
acetylcholine