Lecture 10

Question 1

What does the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) do ?

Answer 1

Controls all involuntary functions, including heart rate, blood pressure and iris diameter.

Question 2

What is the difference between the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic

Answer 2

The sympathetic responds to stressful situations. The parasympathetic regulates rest and digest systems.

Question 3

What are the 5 domains that the CNS is separated into?

Answer 3

M=Medullary
C = cranial
T = thoracic
L = lumber
S = sacral

Question 4

Which domains does the sympathetic nervous system connect to?

Answer 4

The T and L domain

Question 5

Which domains does the parasympathetic nervous system connect to?

Answer 5

The M and S domains

Question 6

How does the length of the neurones compare between the different types of nervous system.

Answer 6

The sympathetic has short myelinated pre-ganglionic neurones and long, non myelinated post- ganglionic neurones. The sympathetic is the other way around.

Question 7

What are the principle neurotransmitters used and where do they function?

Answer 7

Acetylcholine
Noradrenaline
All pre-ganglionic neurons are cholinergic
Most sympathetic post-ganglionic neurons are noradrenergic

Question 8

Name the two major classes of receptor that noradrenaline interacts with

Answer 8

α-adrenoceptors and β-adrenoceptors

Question 9

What are the features of Sympathetic postganglionic neurons in the adrenal glands

Answer 9

Are differentiated to form neurosecretory chromaffin cells
Chromaffin cells can be considered as postganglionic sympathetic neurons that do not project to a target tissue
Instead, on sympathetic stimulation these cells release adrenaline (US name: epinephrine) into the bloodstream