CVS - Autonomic Nervous System Flashcards
What does the autonomic nervous system exert control over?
Smooth muscle
Exocrine secretion (salivary glands)
Rate and force of contraction in the heart
What are the two divisions of the ANS?
What is the third division sometimes mentioned?
Parasympathetic
Sympathetic
Enteric nervous system - network of neurones surrounding GI tract, normally controlled by sympathetic and parasympathetic fibres
Where is the cell body of the preganglionic neurone located?
And post ganglionic?
CNS
PNS
What is the origin of the sympathetic division?
What segments do the preganglionic neurones arise from?
Where do they synapse with the post ganglionic neurones?
Thoracolumbar origin
- preganglionic in the thoracic spinal cord and lumbar spinal cord
Arise from segments T1 to L2
Most synapse in Paraverterbal chain of ganglia
Some synpase in a number of prevertebral ganglia
** Short preganglionic, long post ganglionic neurones **
What is the origin of the parasympathetic division?
Where do the preganglionic fibres travel?
Where do they synapse with the post ganglionic neurones?
Craniosacral origin
In cranial nerves or sacral outflow
Ganglia - close to target cells
Long pre-ganglionic, short post ganglionic.
What do preganglionic neurones release?
What receptors does it act on?
What type of ion channel do these receptors have?
Acetylcholine
Nicotinic Ach receptors on post ganglionic cell
Integral ion channel - which is permeable to K+ and Na+
What causes an action potential to be fired down the axon?
Influx of Na+ ions, depolarises the cell.
Reaches threshold and action potential fired down the axon
What type of receptors do the post ganglionic neurones of the
a) sympathetic neurones
b) parasympathetic neurones
Have?
What is the exception?
Sympathetic - noradrenergic (noradrenaline as transmitter)
Parasympathetic - cholinergic (Ach as transmitter)
Sweat glands (sympathetic) - post ganglionic release Ach which acts on muscarinic ACh receptors
What cells of the adrenal medulla are like specialised post ganglionic sympathetic neurones?
What do they release? Where does it circulate?
Chromaffin cells
Release adrenaline - which circulates in the blood stream
What is the type of receptors to noradrenaline and adrenaline?
What are their types? And subtypes?
Adrenoreceptors which are G protein coupled receptors
alpha adrenoreceptors = a1-adrenoreceptor, a2-adrenoreceptor
Beta adrenoreceptors = b1-adrenoreceptors, b2-adrenoreceptor
Why do different tissues have different subtypes of receptors?
Allows for diversity of action
Selectivity of drug action
What is a co-transmitter?
Name two types of Co- transmitter
Other transmitters released with noradrenaline and adrenaline at the synpase of the post ganglionic neurone with the effector cells
NPY and ATP
What receptors does ACh act on?
What type of receptors are they?
Is there an integral ion channel?
Muscarinic receptors
G protein coupled receptors (M1, M2, M3)
No integral ion channel
What receptors have an integral ion channel?
And which don’t?
Nicotinic receptors
Muscarinic receptors - G protein coupled receptors DONT.
In the parasympathetic nervous system what receptors are on the post synaptic and effector cells?
Pre ganglionic releases Acetylchloline
Post ganglionic = Has nicotinic receptors on (with integral ion channel)
Effector cells = have Muscarinic receptors (M1, M2, M3) NO integral ion channel
In the sympathetic nervous system what receptors are on the post synaptic and effector cells?
Pre ganglionic releases ACh
Post ganglionic = nicotinic ACh receptors
Effector cell = adrenogenic receptors
What are the functions of the autonomic nervous system?
Regulates physiological functions e.g. BP
SNS and PNS innervate a tissue they often have opposite effects
When is sympathetic activity increased?
When is parasympathetic system more dominant?
Under stress
Under basal conditions
They work together to maintain balance