Nerves of the Thorax Flashcards
Somatic =
external; on the skin
Visceral =
internal; organs/vessels
What controls the autonomic NS
hypothalamus
What is dual innervation?
SNS and PSNS exert opposite effects in a particular organ/tissue but they functionally compliment each other to keep the body functioning normall
What is supplied by the SNS only?
- Certain blood vessels
- erector pili muscles
- sweat galnds
What does the autonomic NS regulate?
- Visceral activity (circulation, respiration, digestoion, excretion, reproduction)
- smooth muscle
- cardiac mucle
- glands
- body temperature
What do autonomic fibres accompany?
the visceral senses
How many neurons do autonomic nerves need to reach the end organ?
2 neurons
Where is the 1st preganglionic neuron?
gray matter of the spinal cord or brain stem
It is myelinated
Where is the 2nd (post ganglionic) neuron located?
Autonomic ganglion
unmyelinated
Describe the PSNS
Rest and digest
Give some of the effects of the PSNS
- Slows breathing and HR
- Stimulates digestion
- Opens sphincters
- constricts pupils
- secretomotor glands (salivary, lacrimal)
What is the parasympathetic innervation of the thoracic viscera?
10th cranial nerve –> Vagus
Where does the vagus leabe the cranial cavity and where does it descend between?
- Leaves through the jugular foramen
- dsecnds between the internal jugular vein and internal carotid artery
Where does the right vagus enter the thoracic cavity
Between the right subclavian and brachiocephalic vein
Where does the left vagus enter the thoracic cavity
posterior to the left brachiocephalic vein between the subclavian artery and common carotid
What comes off the right vagus and what artery does it wind around?
recurrent laryngeal never and winds around the right subclavian artery
What comes of the left vagus nerve and what does it wind around?
recurrent laryngeal nerve and winds around the aortic arch, just posterolateral to th eligamentum arteriosum
why are the recurrent laryngeal nerves different?
Due to embryological development
What do the recurrent laryngeal nerves supply?
- Intrinsic layer of laryngeal muscles (except 1)
- Middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles
- Sensory to the laryngeal cavity below the levl of the vocal cords
What is the purpose of the SNS
fight or flight
What is the effect of SNS on the body?
- Increases HR and strength of HB
- Dilates coronary arteries
- Constricts peripheral arteries
- Relaxes bronchial smooth muscles (increases respiratory efficiency)
- Closes sphincters
- Controls body temperature
What is the outflow of the SNS
thoracolumbar
Where are the preganglionic cell bodies in the SNS
intermediolateral horn of T1-L2 spinal cord segment
Where do the postganglionic cell bodies of the SNS lie?
In paravertebral sympathetic ganglia OR in prevertebral sympathetic ganglia