Autonomic nervous system Flashcards
Where do afferent and efferent nerve fibres leave and enter the CNS?
Spinal cord and cranial nerves
What fibres are included in the afferent sensory division?
Somatic and visceral sensory
What fibres are includes in efferent motor division?
Somatic motor and visceral motor
What are visceral motor functions divided into?
Divided in sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways
Pathways innervate identical organs with antagonistically stimulating effects
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Involves motor neurones that are not under the control of the conscious areas of the brain, control involuntary bodily functions (breathing rate, heart rate, dilation, constrictions and secretions.
What is the structure of preganglionic sympathetic fibres?
Myelinated preganglionic fibres leave the CNS and synapse in a ganglion with unmyelinated post ganglionic fibres
Ganglia is close to CNS, therefore preganglionic sympathetic fibres are short
Compare the preganglionic and postganglionic sympathetic fibres with parasympathetic fibres:
Sympathetic: Preganglionic fibres are shorter in comparison to parasympathetic
Postganglionic fibres are longer than PS.
What is the effect of the sympathetic system?
Increased heart rate, blood pressure, dilated bronchi, to increase airflow
Vasodilation in skeletal muscle to allow increased blood flow
Gastrointestinal motility and blood flow decreased
Increasedblood glucose to support high ATP demand
Where do preganglionic sympathetic fibres arise from?
Thoracolumbar segments of the spina cord
Upper 2/3 lumbar, and thoracic
Where do preganglionic sympathetic fibres arise from within the spinal cord?
Lateral horn of the spinal grey matter, leaving through the ventral nerve roots
Where do post-ganglionic fibres have their cell bodies?
In sympathetic chain of ganglia that lies either side of the vertebral column or plexus
What are the names of the sympathetic plexi?
Coeliac, superior mesenteric and inferior mesenteric.
Where do preganglionic sympathetic fibres enter the sympathetic chain?
Enter the chain through the white ramus communicans
How is electrical transmission transmitted to structures in head and thorax? (Sympathetic)
Synaptic contact with postganglionic cell bodies in the sympathetic chain of ganglia
How do post-ganglionic fibre return to the spinal cord?
Grey Ramus Communicans
How do preganglionic fibres innervate strictures within the pelvic and abdominal viscera?
Pass uninterrupted through the sympathetic chain ganglia, and travel to the plexuses where corresponding postganglionic cell bodies are located
What neurotransmitter is released at sympathetic preganglionic nerve terminals?
Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter is released at sympathetic postganglionic nerve terminals?
Noradrenaline
Which organ is directly innervated by preganglionic fibres?
Adrenal medulla
What effect does the parasympathetic system exert?
Inhibitory effect on viscera with an antagonistic effect on the sympathetic division , concerned with rest
Where do preganglionic parasympathetic nerve fibres arise?
Craniosacral
Where do the postganglionic ganglia lie?
Close to the innervated structures, resulting in longer preganglionic fibres
Which neurotransmitter is released at both pre/and post ganglionic synapses?
Acetylcholine
Where do visceral motor nuclei originate from?
Hypothalamus
Where is the hypothalamus located?
Within the diencephalon