Autonomic Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the ANS?

A

involuntary/visceral motor system (plus BVs, sweat glands)

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2
Q

What is the purpose of the ANS?

A

maintaining homeostasis and survival

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3
Q

The ANS innervates everything except

A

CNS tissue and skeletal muscle

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4
Q

What are the 3 divisions of the ANS?

A

SNS, PSNS, and enteric NS

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5
Q

SNS and PSNS innervate

A

most but not all tissues

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6
Q

T/F SNS and PSNS innervate the same places within an organ

A

False; they target different places within the organ

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7
Q

T/F SNS and PSNS are working antagonistically and in competition

A

False;

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8
Q

The ENS innervates the

A

GIT

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9
Q

ENS comprises its own

A

sensory, motor, and interneurons

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10
Q

The ENS has what type of reflexes?

A

intrinsic/enteric that do not require the brain or spinal cord

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11
Q

T/F the ENS is part of the PSNS

A

False; it is anatomically and functionally independent

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12
Q

SNS nerves come from the

A

thoracolumbar: thoracic and upper lumbar spinal cord; none are cervical or sacral in origin

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13
Q

PSNS nerves come from the

A

craniosacral: brainstem (cranial), and sacral parts of the spinal cord

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14
Q

T/F SNS and PSNS nerves arise from the length of the spinal cord

A

False; SNS: thoracolumbar, PSNS: craniosacral, no ANS pathways from the cervical or lumbar enlargements

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15
Q

Where in the spinal cord are there no SNS or PSNS pathways originating?

A

cervical and lumbar enlargements

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16
Q

Sympathetic ganglia are generally

A

more distant from organs

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17
Q

Parasympathetic ganglia are generally

A

closer to or within organs

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18
Q

What are the two categories of sympathetic ganglia?

A

2x Paravertebral (sympathetic chain) and 1x prevertebral (midline)

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19
Q

Paravertebral ganglia are located

A

sympathetic chain; bilateral on each side of the vertebral column

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20
Q

Prevertebral ganglia are located

A

one set, down midline

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21
Q

Sympathetic preganglionic axons are (long/short)

A

short

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22
Q

Sympathetic postganglionic axons are (long/short)

A

long

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23
Q

Parasympathetic preganglionic axons are (long/short)

A

long

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24
Q

Parasympathetic postganglionic axons are (long/short)

A

short

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25
Q

Preganglionic axons are generally

A

lightly myelinated/unmyelinated

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26
Q

Postganglionic axons are generally

A

all unmyelinated

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27
Q

T/F somatic/voluntary motor nerves have no ganglia

A

True

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28
Q

SNS and PSNS can only be truly differentiated by

A

anatomy; the location of where the preganglionic neurons originate (SNS: thoracolumbar vs PSNS: cervico-sacral)

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29
Q

Nicotinic receptors are

A

LGICs

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30
Q

Muscarinic receptors are

A

GPCRs

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31
Q

In the SNS, preganglionic ______ acts on _____ receptors on the ganglia

A

ACh; nicotinic

32
Q

In the SNS, postganglionic ______ acts on _______ receptors while _______ acts on _______ receptors in ______

A

NA acts on a- & b-aRs; ACh acts on muscarinic receptors in sweat and adrenal glands

33
Q

In the PSNS, preganglionic _______ acts on _______ receptors

A

ACh, nicotinic

34
Q

In the PSNS, postganglionic _____ acts on _______ receptors

A

ACh, muscarinic

35
Q

In the somatic NS, preganglionic _______ acts on ______ receptors on the _______

A

ACh, nicotinic, alpha motor neuron

36
Q

In the somatic NS, postganglionic ______ acts on ______ receptors on the _______

A

ACh, nicotinic, muscle

37
Q

What are non-classical transmitters?

A

Non-cholinergic and non-noradrenergic transmitters in the ANS

38
Q

What are examples of non-classical ANS NTs?

A

ATP, NO, neuropeptides (eg substance P, neuropeptide Y)

39
Q

T/F glutamate and GABA are also used as primary NTs in the peripheral NS/ANS

A

False; they are the primary NTs of the CNS

40
Q

How do nerve terminals in the ANS differ from somatic NMJs?

A

there are no easily visible terminals; instead, there is more than one transmitter release site per axon (varicosities)

41
Q

What are extra-junctional receptors?

A

expressed remotely from the synapse

42
Q

Preganglionic neurons of the SNS originate from where in the spinal cord?

A

Intermediolateral cell column (between the dorsal and ventral horns)

43
Q

Sympathetic ganglia are essential for

A

integrating and coordination of sympathetic control between organs and tissues

44
Q

Paravertebral ganglia innervate

A

vasoconstrictor neurons

45
Q

Prevertebral ganglia innervate

A

non-vascular smooth muscle (eg airways, repro tract)

46
Q

SNS postganglionic neurons originate from

A

paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia

47
Q

What is divergence?

A

one preganglionic SNS neuron can activate up to 200 ganglion neurons - this is a mechanism for coordinating EFFECTS in many tissues at once

48
Q

What is convergence?

A

prevertebral ganglion neurons have more dendrites and receive more signals, integrating them from multiple inputs (including ENS) to decide what the response should be

49
Q

Adrenal medulla cells are innervated by

A

sympathetic preganglionic neurons (ACh, N)

50
Q

What is the sympathoadrenal system?

A

SNS preganglionic neurons innervate adrenal medulla cells (ACh, N) to release NA and A into the circulation (FoF response)

51
Q

T/F the SNS is only activated for the FoF response

A

False; it is essential for normal living eg adjustments of blood pressure, temperature changes, digestive changes, positional changes

52
Q

T/F SNS activation is an all or none response

A

False; FoF is an extreme situation where the response is coordinated, but individual cells/tissues/organs are normally precisely and independently activated

53
Q

Where are the preganglionic cranial PSNS nuclei located?

A

in the midbrain (EW), upper medulla (salivatory), and in the middle medulla (DMN of vagus, Nuc Amb)

54
Q

What are the 3 PSNS cranial nuclei?

A

EW nucleus; Salivatory nuclei; Dorsal motor nucleus of vagus and nucleus ambiguus

55
Q

The Edinger-Westphal nucleus projects to

A

to ciliary ganglion to control sphincter pupillae and ciliary muscle

56
Q

The Salivatory nuclei project to

A

submandibular, sphenopalatine, and otic ganglia to control lacrimal, salivary, sublingual, nasal, and palatine glands

57
Q

The Dorsal Motor Nucleus of Vagus and Nucleus Ambiguus project to

A

microganglia near and on outer surface of thoracic and abdominal organs to control numerous visceral functions

58
Q

Sacral PSNS preganglionic neurons originate from

A

cluster of neurons (S1-S5) in the interomediolateral column

59
Q

Sacral PSNS preganglionic neurons project from the spinal cord to

A

pelvic ganglia/pelvic plexus/inferior hypogastric plexus via pelvic splanchnic nerves

60
Q

Extensions of the pelvic plexus lie

A

close to or within pelvic organs; axons can be long and susceptible to injury

61
Q

T/F pelvic ganglia contain PS neurons only

A

False; it is a mixed ganglia containing parasympathetic and sympathetic neurons

62
Q

Compared to sympathetic ganglia, pelvic ganglia act as

A

relay stations; there is little integration and few or no dendrites

63
Q

What is different about transmission in the SNS vs PSNS?

A

PSNS is restricted to purely synapses whereas the SNS can use synapses but also the bloodstream via hormones produced in the adrenal medulla

64
Q

T/F the PSNS is purely rest-and-digest in function

A

False; can be activated under many situations and some functions are not related to a rest-and-digest situation e.g. bladder control and reproductive organs; it does things all the time on more subtle ways

65
Q

Visceral afferent neurons (sensory) provide input to

A

local interneurons and projection neurons in spinal and brainstem circuits

66
Q

Most autonomic reflexes involve the _________ rather than only the _________

A

the brain (supraspinal reflex); spinal cord (spinal reflex)

67
Q

The major integrative centre for autonomic function is the

A

Nucleus Tractus Solitarius (NTS) in the medulla

68
Q

The NTS contains

A

second-order sensory neurons that receive input from visceral afferents

69
Q

The NTS receives input from

A

primary visceral afferents

70
Q

The NTS distributes information either to ___________ or ___________

A

local spinal reflexes (feedback) or higher centres (more complex responses)

71
Q

Information from the NTS projected to local reflexes

A

feedback on local reflexes that control organ/tissue function

72
Q

Information from the NTS projected to higher centres

A

provides information to drive more complex responses (coordinated behaviour: visceral, somatic, endocrine; emotion)

73
Q

The _________ is the centre of autonomic control, specifically the ___________

A

hypothalamus; paraventricular nucleus (PVN)

74
Q

The hypothalamus (and PVN) receives input from

A

sensory pathways (visceral, olfactory, etc.), intrinsic sensory structures (osmoreceptors), circulating hormones (angII), accessing via circumventricular organs

75
Q

The most important brain region for coordination of autonomic output is

A

the hypothalamus, especially the paraventricular nucleus

76
Q

How does the hypothalamus handle autonomic inputs and outputs?

A

it compares the situation (inputs) to biological set points, and if deviation is detected it adjust (outputs) behaviour and autonomic function