Autonomics

Question 1

What is the parasympathetic nervous system involved with?

Answer 1

Rest and Digest

It is involved in calming the body down.

Question 2

What is the sympathetic nervous system involved with?

Answer 2

Fight or Flight

It is involved in exciting the body.

Question 3

Where are the sympathetics of the nervous system found?

Answer 3

Around T1 to L2

Question 4

Where do the parasympathetics originate from?

Answer 4

The brain and sacral cord (S2, S3, S4)

Question 5

What cranial nerves have parasympathetics?

Answer 5

III, VII, IX and X

Question 6

What is an easy way to find the sympathetic chains?

Answer 6

They follow blood vessels so look for blood vessels.

Question 7

Describe sympathetic preganglion and postganglion neurons.

Answer 7

Preganglion - fibers are short and myelinated

Postganglion - fibers are long and unmyelinated

“Short Arms/Long Fingers”

Question 8

Describe the location of sympathetic preganglionic neurons.

Answer 8

Send fibers out of the ventral root and leave the spinal nerves through white rami and enter the sympathetic trunk

Question 9

Describe the location of sympathetic ganglionic neurons.

Answer 9

Located within the sympathetic chain ganglia or in collateral ganglia outside of the sympathetic trunk

Question 10

Describe the location of sympathetic postganglionic neurons.

Answer 10

Leave the sympathetic trunk through gray rami and pass through the spinal nerve again before terminating on the organ

Question 11

How do parasympathetic preganglionic fibers travel in the body?

Answer 11

They travel through cranial nerves III, VII, IX and X and through spinal nerves S2, S3 and S4 and synapse with peripheral ganglia near the effector organ.

Question 12

How do sympathetic preganglionic fibers travel in the body? (There are four methods)

Answer 12

1. Synapse with one or more neurons in the sympathetic trunk directly across from them
2. Ascend or descend in the trunk before synapsing
3. Pass through the sympathetic trunk and synapse with a collateral ganglion outside the sympathetic trunk
4. Directly stimulate the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla.

Question 13

Describe the location of parasympathetic ganglionic neurons.

Answer 13

They are located within peripheral ganglia

Question 14

Describe parasympathetic preganglion and postganglion neurons.

Answer 14

Preganglionic fibers are long and myelinated.

Postganglionic fibers are short and not myelinated.

“Long Arms Short Fingers”

Question 15

What do cholinergic fibers release?

Answer 15

Acetylcholine

Question 16

What do adrenergic fibers release?

Answer 16

Norepinephrine

Question 17

What do preganglionic sympathetic fibers release?

Answer 17

Acetylcholine

Question 18

What do preganglionic parasympathetic fibers release?

Answer 18

Acetylecholine

Question 19

What do postganglionic sympathetic fibers release?

Answer 19

Norepineprhine

Question 20

What do postganglionic parasympathetic fibers release?

Answer 20

Acetylcholine

Question 21

Do sympathetic effects have dominance over parasympathetic effects or vice versa?

Answer 21

Sympathetic effects often dominate

Question 22

What are splanchnic nerves?

Answer 22

All carry sympathetic fibers except for the pelvic splanchnics (p for parasympathetic) and they are unique because they have long preganglionics, making them similar to the parasympathetics.

They are the exception as they do not synapse on the sympathetic chain.

Question 23

Where does the greater splanchnic nerve arise and where does it end?

Answer 23

It arises from the 5th - 9th thoracic sympathetic ganglia and ends in the celiac ganglion

Question 24

Where are lateral horns (IMLs) found?

Answer 24

In the thoracic region or areas with sympathetics

Question 25

What are white rami and where do they go? What are gray rami and were do they go?

Answer 25

White fibers are myelinated fibers that go IN to synapse with the sympathetic chain. Gray fibers are unmyelinated and they go OUT to effector organs. WIGO

Question 26

Where do the white rami stop?

Answer 26

L2. No white rami below that, only gray.

Question 27

How do sympathetics reach the cervical part?

Answer 27

They travel out onto the sympathetic chain and then travel up it and follow blood vessels

Question 28

What are the main sympathetic activations in the face?

Answer 28

Dilator pupillae dilates the pupil Tarsal muscle pulls the eyelid back and opens the eye Sweating of the face

Question 29

What is Horner's Syndrome?

Answer 29

Caused by a lesion in the sympathetics and is accompanied with: - Miosis (constriction of pupil) - Ptosis (droopy eyelid) - Anhydrosis (inability to sweat)

Question 30

What is a Pancoast tumor?

Answer 30

It affects smokers and is a tumor above the lung that interferes with the sympathetics

Question 31

What do the S2-S4 parasympathetics control?

Answer 31

Urination Defecation Sexual Arousal Ejaculation

Question 32

What are the ganglia of the parasympathetics and what cranial nerve is associated with them?

Answer 32

Ciliary Ganglion - III Pterygopalatine Ganglion - VII Otic Ganglion - IX Submandibular Ganglion - VII "Cows Poop On Shoes"

Question 33

What is the function of the ciliary ganglion?

Answer 33

CN III | Pupillary Constriction

Question 34

What is the function of the pterygopalatine ganglion?

Answer 34

CN VII | Lacrimal Gland -> Makes you cry

Question 35

What is the function of the otic ganglion?

Answer 35

CN IX | Stimulates parotid gland

Question 36

What is the function of the submandibular ganglion?

Answer 36

CN VII | Activates salivary glands

Question 37

What parasympathetic function does CN X have?

Answer 37

Slows down the heart and speeds up digestion

Question 38

Where does the chord tympani a branch off of?

Answer 38

It is a branch off of the facial nerve (CN VII) and hitches a ride on the lingual nerve which is a branch of V-3 the mandibular part of the trigeminal nerve (CN V)

Question 39

What branch of the CN VII synapses with the pterygopalatine ganglion?

Answer 39

Greater Petrosal Nerve

Question 40

What branch of the CN IX synapses with the otic ganglion?

Answer 40

Lesser Petrosal Nerve The otic ganglion the continues to the parotid gland via the auriculotemporal nerve

Question 41

What is facial paralysis due to loss of facial nerve function called?

Answer 41

Bell's Palsy

Question 42

What are preganglionic fibers?

Answer 42

They go from the CNS to the ganglion

Question 43

What are postganglionic fibers?

Answer 43

They go from the ganglion to the effector organ