Neural control of blood pressure Flashcards
why do we have a blood pressure control system
- if blood pressure is too low (hypotension) not enough blood and oxygen reaches the organs causing chronic fatigue and inability to exercise
- if blood pressure is too high (hypertension) arteries are overstretched, prolonged stretch causes aneurysms which are when regions of the artery wall are weaker than normal which may burst suddenly
- the physical stress of hypertension is dangerous is atheromatous arteries as they are less compliant, the raised pressure can cause atheromatous plaques to rupture and this causes the formation of a thrombus which can block the artery or travel downstream as an embolus and block smaller downstream arteries
what is hypotension
this is when blood pressure is too low, it is consistency below 90/60
what is hypertension
this is when blood pressure is too high, it is consistently above 140/90
what happens when an atheromatous plaque ruptures
an thrombus is formed
what is a moving thrombus called
an embolus
what are the two systems that regulate blood pressure
- Neuronal system - fast acting
- Hormonal system - slow acting
What part of blood pressure does the neuronal system control
- Neuronal system provides moment to moment regulation for example when you go from lying down to standing up ti automatically regulates the blood flow tot he leg
- vital for maintenance of blood pressure after an haemorrhage
- faster acting
what part of blood pressure does the hormonal system control
- slower acting, works on a time scale of minutes or hours
- uses the renin angiotensin aldosterone system
what receptors are used in the neuronal system in controlling blood pressure
- uses baroreceptors, these are found in the carotid sinus above the internal carotid above the bifurcation of the carotid arteries
- may also be pressure sensors in the aortic sinus which is just above the aortic valve, the artery walls in the sinus have more elastic fibres and are more stretchy than normal artery walls, they distend slightly in each systole
how does the neuronal system control blood pressure
- uses homeostasis and negative feedback
1. the baroreceptors and stretch receptors have stretch that is proportional to the blood pressure,
2. this causes continuous action potentials in sensory nerve endings
3. the baroreceptor nerve fibres travel to the brain in the vagus and glossopharyngeal cranial nerves
4. the nerves feed into the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in the medulla oblongata which is in the lower part of the brainstem
5. this projects to the vasomotor centre which contains the set point for normal blood pressure
what is next of the carotid sinus
- the carotid body which is where the carotid chemoreceptors are found
what is the glossopharyngeal nerve
- it is primarily a visceral (sensory) nerve that contains afferents from the tongue, pharynx, larynx and the carotid sinus
- it enters the brain stem between the pons and medulla
what is the vagus nerve
- it is a mixed parasympathetic nerve that contains a motor output hand sensory afferent nerve fibres nerve fibres arise from the - lungs - gut - pharynx - larynx - carotid sinus
where are the cell bodies of the carotid sinus afferents in the vagus nerve
- In the jugular ganglia
- in the nodose ganglia
where is them nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS)
situated under the dorsal surface of the lower medulla oblongata