Autonomic Nervous System Pt 1

Question 1

What are the two divisions of the nervous system?

Answer 1

Somatic and Autonomic

Question 2

What does the Somatic NS control?

Answer 2

Voluntary control of skeletal muscle

Question 3

What does Autonomic NS control?

Answer 3

Reflex control of smooth & Cardiac muscle (non voluntary)

Question 4

Autonomic NS is responsible for…

Answer 4

Regulation of our bodies unconscious internal environment.
Auto = Self
Nomic = Governing

Question 5

How does the ANS operate?

Answer 5

Via Reflex Arcs

Input - relay - Output

Question 6

What are some ANS Inputs?

Answer 6

Temperature Receptors
Pain Receptors
Chemo Receptors
Blood Pressure Receptors (baroreceptors)

Question 7

Where are these ANS Input receptors found?

Answer 7

Heart, Blood Vessels, Lungs, Kidneys, gut, bladder

Question 8

There are two divisions of the ANS Output , what are they?

Answer 8

Sympathetic Nervous System

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Question 9

What is Dual innervation?

Answer 9

Most organs have dual innervation in that they receive impulses from both sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.

Question 10

What is another name for the Sympathetic ANS Division?

Answer 10

Thoracolumbar Division, due to the fact sympathetic division nerve fibres leave the CNS in the thoracic and lumbar levels.

Question 11

What is another name for the Parasympathetic ANS Division?

Answer 11

Cranialsacral Division, due to the fact parasympathetic nerve fibres leave the CNS via cranial nerves and Sacral regions.

Question 12

Both divisions of ANS have a two-neurone pathway from spinal cord to target organ. What are the names of each neuron?

Answer 12

Pre-ganglionic nerve fibre and post-ganglionic nerve fibre.

Question 13

What is the site of synapse between the two nerve fibres?

Answer 13

Autonomic ganglion.

In the sympathetic Division it is specifically the sympathetic trunk ganglia.

Question 14

Describe the sympathetic pathway in terms of neurone size?

Answer 14

The pre-ganglionic nerve fibre is short and the post-ganglionic nerve fibres are long.

Question 15

Describe the parasympathetic pathway in terms of neurone size?

Answer 15

The pre-ganglionic nerve fibres are long and the post-ganglionic nerve fibres are short (sometimes post are within the target organ)

Question 16

What neurotransmitters are used by each division?

Answer 16

At the synapse in the autonomic ganglion both divisions Acetylcholine (ACh) while at the target organ parasympathetic division uses ACh while sympathetic division uses Noradenaline (NA).

Question 17

The sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions operate antagonistically meaning?

Answer 17

When activate they perform the opposite action to their counterpart?

Question 18

Give an example of antagonist ANS in action?

Answer 18

The sympathetic division when stimulated will increase heart rate while the parasympathetic division decreases it.

Question 19

Describe the function of the adrenal medulla?

Answer 19

The middle portion of the adrenal gland. Its cells are similar to post-ganglionic nerve fibres but rather than extending to an organ they release hormones (adrenaline and noradrenaline) into circulation. These hormones intensify the responses elicited from other sympathetic neurons.