Basics of the Autonomic Nervous System

Question 1

What does the autonomic nervous system do?

Answer 1

Maintains homeostasis of the body

Regulates…

• heart rate
• breathing rate
• body temp
• digestion
• urinary functions

Question 2

What are the 3 divisions of the ANS?

Answer 2

The sympathetic division
Parasympathetic division
Enteric Nervous System

Question 3

What does the enteric nervous system regulate?

Answer 3

Nervous tissue of the digestive tract

Question 4

What does the sympathetic nervous system regulate?

Answer 4

Regulate “fight or flight”

effectors of the body - responds to physical activity/ stress

Question 5

What does the parasympathetic nervous system regulate?

Answer 5

Regulates the “rest and digest” effectors - responds to conditions of rest

Question 6

What neurons are responsible for carrying information to and from the CNS?

Answer 6

Sensory neurons > action potentials from the sensory receptors of the body TO the CNS
Motor neurons > carry action potentials from the CNS to the effectors of t the body

Question 7

Autonomic neuron innervation v. Somatic neuron innervation

Answer 7

Autonomic > smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands

Somatic > skeletal muscles

Question 8

Two neurons that extend between the CNS and innervated organs in the ANS

Answer 8

preganglionic neuron

postganglionic neuron

Question 9

Differences between somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system

Answer 9

1) Somatic has a single neuron extending from the CNS to skeletal muscle; ANS has two neurons
2) Somatic neurons are all myelinated; ANS neurons only preganglionic neurons on myelinated
3) Somatic movements are conscious, ANS movements subconscious