Autonomic Nervous System Flashcards
What makes up the central nervous system? What does it do?
the brain and spinal cord with affiliated nuclei (gray matter) and tracts (white matter) that relays and integrates information recieved from the periphery of the body
What makes up the peripheral nervous system? What does it do?
comprised of nerves and ganglia that are responsible for the transmission of sensory input and motor output to/from the CNS from/to the periphery of the body
What is nervous tissue comprised of?
neurons and supporting cells
What do neurons represent in the nervous system?
the electrical conducting cells
What is the receiving end of the neuron? What does it do?
dendrites - relays information toward the cell body
What is the conducting portion of the neuron? What does it do?
axon - relays information away from the cell body
What is the classification of neurons based on their structure determined by?
the number of processes that emanate from the cell body
What are the 4 classifications of neurons? (based on structure)
- Anaxonic
- Bipolar
- Unipolar
- Multipolar
What are the 2 classifications of neurons? (based on function)
- Afferent
- Efferent
What do afferent neurons do?
relay sensory information input to the CNS. conduct impulses from peripheral sensory receptors and into the CNS
What are the two most common afferent neuron structures? What do they do?
Bipolar - linked with special sensory systems, such as olfaction, vision, taste
Unipolar - transmit general sensory information from the periphery of the body and into the CNS
What do efferent neurons do? What is their structure?
relay motor output (via impulses)from the CNS to peripheral tissues - structurally they are multipolar
Where are the cell bodies of afferent neurons located?
outside the CNS (within the PNS)
- cell bodies of afferent neurons below the head region are located within bilateral dorsal root ganglia
Where are bilateral dorsal root ganglia located?
on either side of the spinal cord at each spinal segment
How do axons of several efferent neurons travel?
collectively together outside of the CNS within nerves
Where are efferent neuron cell bodies located?
within the CNS within nuclei that make up the gray matter of the CNS
What are two types of efferent neurons?
somatic and visceral
What is another name for autonomic neurons?
visceral efferent neurons
What are the characteristics of interneurons?
- the entire neuron is located within the CNS
- cell bodies are within nuclei of CNS gray matter
- axons travel collectively within tracts, which comprise the majority of the CNS white matter
What are the three different tracts with regards to interneurons and the CNS? Where are they?
- Ascending tracts - extend from spinal cord to brain
- Descending tracts - extend from brain to spinal cord
- Association tracts - extend between brain nuclei
What do interneurons do?
provide integration of information between the PNS and CNS.
- relay information to other interneurons
- relay input to the brain from the spinal cord
- transmit motor output from the brain back to the spinal cord
What are spinal reflexes? (interneurons)
integration between afferent and efferent neurons within the spinal cord
What is primarily mediated by the peripheral nervous system?
Sensory input and motor output
What is a principle role of the central nervous system?
integration
Unconscious integration occurs at what level?
at the level of the spinal cord
Conscious integration occurs at what level?
at the brain
Where is the dendritic zone located and what does it receive?
located outside of the CNS and receives sensory innervation from the tissues of the body
What is afferent information transmitted towards and where is it located?
towards the sensory neuron cell body which is located within a dorsal root ganglion of the PNS
True or false? Axons of afferent neurons extend through the dorsal root and transmit sensory information into the spinal cord gray matter where they synapse onto interneurons.
True