Autonomic Nervous System

Question 1

What makes up the central nervous system?

Answer 1

Brain
Spinal cord
Retina
CN II

Question 2

What makes up the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 2

Spinal and cranial nerves (exc. CN II)
ANS (sympathetic and parasympathetic)
Somatic sensory and motor nerves

Question 3

What is a dendrite?

Answer 3

Receptive projections sensitive to NT input

Question 4

What is a soma?

Answer 4

Cell body - metabolic centre

Question 5

What is an axon?

Answer 5

Allows one-way rapid communication between cell body and axon terminals

Question 6

What is an axon terminal?

Answer 6

Forms connections with other neurons/ effector tissues via synapses

Question 7

What is the autonomic neuronal pathway made up of?

Answer 7

Cell body (located in lateral horn of grey matter in spinal cord or in brainstem) 
Pre-ganglionic neuron 
Peripheral ganglion 
Post-ganglionic neuron 
Target

Question 8

Which vertebral levels have spinal nerves containing autonomic neurons?

Answer 8

T1-L2 and S2-S4

Question 9

What are the 2 principle neurotransmitters in the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 9

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Noradrenaline

Question 10

Where does the spinal cord terminate?

Answer 10

L1/L2 in adults

L3 in children

Question 11

What spinal nerves supply the sympathetic chain?

Answer 11

T1-L2

Question 12

What are splanchnic nerves?

Answer 12

Nerves carrying sympathetic neurones to organs of the body (e.g. thoracic and cardiac splanchnic nerves)

Question 13

What is the difference between white and grey rami?

Answer 13

White rami carry sympathetic neurones passing into chain (preganglionic)
Grey rami carry sympathetic neurones passing from chain into spinal nerve (postganglionic)

Question 14

What is Horner’s Syndrome?

Answer 14

Caused by loss of sympathetic supply to the head

Triad of symptoms: Ptosis, Miosis, Anhydrosis

Question 15

What is the sympathetic supply to the gut tube?

Answer 15

Foregut = coeliac ganglion (T5-9) 
Midgut = SM ganglion (T10-11) 
Hindgut = IM ganglion (T12-L1)

Question 16

What is the parasympathetic supply to the gut tube?

Answer 16

Foregut = vagus CNX 
Midgut = vagus CNX 
Hindgut = Pelvic splanchic nerves (S2-4)

Question 17

What are the 4 cranial nerves with parasympathetic nuclei?

Answer 17

CN III, VII, IX, X

Question 18

How is parasympathetic input from cranial nerves carried to its target?

Answer 18

From brainstem nucleus to peripheral ganglion where they are carried with CN V to target