Autonomic Nervouy system

Question 1

What are sympathetic ganglia important for?

Answer 1

integration and coordination of sympathetic control between organs and tissues.
Integration -> have lots of dendrites so take in a lot og info. Coordination -> 1 preganglionic neuron can innervate many post ganglionic neurons

Question 2

What are the two classes of sympathetic ganglia?

Answer 2

Paravertebral (sympathetic chain) -> source of vasoconstrictor neurons
Prevertebral -> non-vascular smooth muscle

Question 3

What is special about the pelvic ganglia?

Answer 3

parasympathetic ganglion neurons are v long -> prone to damage. they are mixed ganglia (contain sympathetic neurons). Relay stations -> little integration so few or no dendrites

Question 4

Where in the body does the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system function as genuine antagonists?

Answer 4

SA node in heart

Airway smooth muscle cells

Question 5

What are the differences between an autonomic nerve fibre and a somatic motor nerve fibre?

Answer 5

Autonomic nerves have pre and postganglionic fibres, there is no easily visible junction and they have more than one transmitter release site per axon

Question 6

Where in the spinal cord are preganglionic autonomic neurons?

Answer 6

in the intermediolateral cell column

Question 7

Which brainstem nuclei contain preganglionic neurons for the parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 7

edinger westphal nucleus, salivatory nuclei, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus and nucleus ambiguous

Question 8

What is the major integrative centre for autonomic function and reflexes?

Answer 8

Nucleus Solitarius - in medulla

Question 9

Where do neurons from the nucleus of the solitary tract project to?

Answer 9

either feedback to local spinal reflexes or project to higher centres for more complex behaviours

Question 10

What area in the brain is important for coordination of autonomic function?

Answer 10

Hypothalamus