Module 3- Neurophysiology Flashcards
Central Nervous System
acts as the integrating system
-brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System
-rapid communication
(1) Sensory division of the PNS; sends info to the CNS through afferent (sensory) neurons
(2) Efferent division of PNS; takes info from the CNS to target cells via efferent neurons
Efferent neurons
(1) autonomic neurons; sympathetic and parasympathetic
(2) somatic motor neurons
autonomic neurons
- unconscious, homeostatic response
sympathetic and parasympathetic - controls: cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, exocrine glands/cells, some adipose tissue
somatic motor neurons
-conscious movement
controls skeletal muscle
interneurons
neurons entirely within the CNS
ganglia
clusters of neuron cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system
nerves
bundles of axons in the peripheral nervous system
-transmits signals between brain or spinal cord and other body regions
Autonomic (involuntary) nervous system
-conveys impulses from CNS to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands
- 1st preganglionic fiber has cell body in the CNS and synapses with 2nd in the autonomic ganglion
-2nd postganglionic fiber sends signal from autonomic ganglion to the effector organ
spinal cord
-links brain and PNS
-controls some involuntary functions
-protected by vertebral column
- 31 pairs of spinal nerves
sympathetic
-fight or flight
-excitement, emergency, exercise, embarrassment
-routes energy resources to brain, heart, and skeletal muscles
sympathetic effects
-adrenergic effects
-dilates pupils
-increases heart beat and force of contraction
- relaxes airways
-inhibition of digestion and stomach activity
-stimulates release of glucose into the blood; inhibits insulin release from pancreas
-stimulates secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine from adrenal
parasympathetic
-rest and digest
-digestion, defecation, and dieresis
-reduces energy use and directs “housekeeping” activities
parasympathetic effects
- cholinergic
constricts pupils - slows heartbeat
-constricts airways
-stimulates digestion and stomach activity
-increases glucose utilization by liver cells; stimulates insulin secretion from pancreas
sympathetic fibers
the sympathetic nervous system has short cholingeric (acetlycholine-releasing) preganglionic fibers and long adrenergic (norepinephrine-releasing) postganglionic fibers