N26- Autonomic nervous system Flashcards
what can the entire nervous system be divided into?
- CNS
- PNS
what are the 2 components of the autonomic nervous system?
- central
- peripheral
what are the divisions of the autonomic nervous system?
- enteric
- sympathetic divison
- parasympathetic divison
what is the overall functions of the ANS?
The motor autonomic nervous system (ANS) mediates output from the CNS to the whole of the body, with the exception of skeletal (voluntary) muscle
what is output of the ANS modulated by?
external and internal sensory input, often via reflexes involving negative feedback loops within PNS and the CNS
what does the ANS regulate?
functions essential to human health and life that do not require conscious effort (e.g. whilst asleep) and that are largely involuntary
Name some of these function that do not require conscious effort.
- contraction and relaxation of vascular and visceral smooth muscle
- the heartbeat (including rate and force)
- all exocrine and certain endocrine secretions
- aspects of metabolism (particularly in liver and skeletal muscle)
- modulation of the processes of the immune system
- is subdivided anatomically into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions (and, debatably, the enteric nervous system also)
What is an example of a function with a degree of conscious influence?
training allows a degree of conscious influence over the execution of some ANS reflexes i.e urination
what is the motor (efferent) component comprised of?
two neurone in series: preganglionic and postganglionic fibres
where is the autonomic ganglionic located?
outside CNS
what happens between the preganglionic neurone and the autonomic ganglion?
chemical synaptic transmission in the ganglia
what happens between the postganglionic neurone and the effector cells?
Chemical transmission at the neuroeffector junction
how do the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the ANS work ?
simultaneously in a reciprocal and complementary manner maintaining homeostasis
what is the role of the sympathetic ANS?
orchestrates the stress response and energy consumption associated with ‘fight or flight’ reactions, but also has very important ongoing activity
what is the role of the parasympathetic ANS?
regulates many functions, some of which are restorative and energy conserving ‘rest and digest’
what is the transmitter of the preganglionic neurones in sympathetic and parasympathetic system?
acetylcholine
what does the acytelcholine act via?
excitatory nicotinic cholinoceptors
what is the classical transmitter of the postganglionic neurone in the sympathetic system?
noradrenaline
what is the classical transmitter of the postganglionic neurone in the parasympathetic system?
acetylcholine
what is the outflow of the sympathetic division?
thoracolumbar outflow from spinal cord (T1-L2/3)
what is the outflow of the parasympathetic division?
craniosacral outflow from brainstem and spinal cord
what receptors are in the effecter cells of the sympathetic division?
adrenoreceptors
what receptors are in the effecter cells of the parasympathetic division?
cholinoceptors
where do the sympathetic preganglionic neurones synapses with postganglionic neurone? (2)
-paravertrebal ganglia (close to spinal cord)
OR
-prevertebral ganglia ( distance from spinal cord)