Drugs and The Autonomic Nervous System

Question 1

What does the ANS do?

Answer 1

Controls involuntary functions
E.g. Heart rate
Efferent

Question 2

What are the two sections of the ANS?

Answer 2

Sympathetic and parasympathetic

Question 3

What does the sympathetic nervous system do?

Answer 3

Fight or flight

Increase heart rate and blood pressure

Question 4

What does the parasympathetic do?

Answer 4

Rest and digest

Question 5

What are the anatomical divisions of brain stem?

Answer 5

Medullary 
Cranial
Throracic
Lumber
Sacral

Question 6

What does a parasympathetic axon look like?

Answer 6

Originate in the lateral horn of the medulla
Long myelinated
Ganglion
Short unmyelinated

Question 7

What does a sympathetic axon looks like

Answer 7

Originate in the lateral horn of the lumbar and thoracic spinal cord
Short Myelinated
Ganglion
Long Unmyelinated

Question 8

What are the main neurotransmitters in the ANS?

Answer 8

Acetylcholine and noradrenaline

Question 9

What neurotransmitter is used for pre-ganglionic neurones?

Answer 9

ACh

Question 10

When is noradrenaline the neurotransmitter?

Answer 10

Sympathetic post ganglionic neurones

Question 11

What receptors do NA interact with?

Answer 11

A and B adrenoreceptors

Question 12

What are examples of other transmitters that may be used?

Answer 12

ATP

Nitric oxide

Question 13

What are chromaffin cells?

Answer 13

Postganglionic sympathetic neurones that di not project to a target tissue but release adrenaline into the bloodstream

Question 14

Where are chromaffin cells?

Answer 14

Adrenal medulla

Question 15

Where are m2 receptors?

Answer 15

Heart

Question 16

Where are m3 receptors?

Answer 16

Lungs

Glands

Question 17

Where are b1 receptors

Answer 17

Heart

Question 18

Where are b2 receptors?

Answer 18

Smooth muscle e.g. Lungs

Question 19

Where are m1 receptors?

Answer 19

Glands

Question 20

Where are a1 receptors?

Answer 20

Smooth muscle e.g. Eye

Question 21

What is the umbrella term for malfunctions if the ANS?

Answer 21

Dysautonomia

Question 22

What are the common actions of drugs?

Answer 22

Degradation of transmitter
Interaction with post synaptic receptors
Inactivation of transmitter
Interaction with pre-synaptic receptors

Question 23

How is ach synthesised?

Answer 23

Acetyl coA and choline makes acetylcholine and coenzyme a

Used choline acetyltransferase

Question 24

How is acetylcholine degraded?

Answer 24

Forms Acetate and Choline

Acetylcholinesterase is used

Question 25

What does a lack of selectivity of cholinergic drugs mean?

Answer 25

Unwanted side effects
E.g. Decreased heart rate
Increases bronchoconstriction
Increased sweating

Question 26

What is sludge?

Answer 26

Pathological effects of massive discharge of the parasympathetic system
Salivation
Lacrimation
Urination
Defecation
Gastrointestinal upset
Messier

Question 27

When does sludge occur?

Answer 27

Drug overdose
Magic mushrooms 
Insecticides 
Nerve gas 
Due to over stimulation go muscarinic ach receptors

Question 28

How is noradrenaline released?

Answer 28

Ca dependant exocytotic release

Question 29

What happens after Na is released?

Answer 29

Travels across synaptic cleft

Interacts with adrenoceptors

Question 30

How is NA terminated?

Answer 30

Reuptake into the presynaptic terminal by an Na dependant high affinity transporter

Or metabolised by MAO or COMT