Physiology-Autonomic Nervous System Flashcards
Label the pathway that a sympathetic signal must take to get from the spinal cord to the target tissue.
In through the white rami communicantes and out through the gray rami communicantes.
Where are parasympathetic neurons found in the spinal cord?
Cranial nerve nuclei (III, VII, IX and X) or lamina VII of S2, S3 or S4.
Where are the sympathetic neurons found in the spinal cord?
Intermediolateral cell column from T1-L2.
How does the location differ where you find white rami communicantes vs. gray rami communicantes?
White rami communicantes are only located in regions where the pre-synaptic fibers come out of the spinal cord (T1-L2). Gray rami communicantes are located anywhere that there is a sympathetic ganglion in the entire spinal cord.
Where in the spine are the sympathetic preganglionic cell bodies found for innervation of the head and neck?
T1-T4
What are the post–ganglionic fibers that receive stimulation from the superior cervical ganglion?
Internal and external carotid nerves?
What are the names of the different superior cervical ganglia in the parasympathetic nervous system?
Call the COPS at 3977: Ciliary (CN III), Otic (CN IX), Pterygopalatine (CN VII), Submadibular (CN VII)
Where are the autonomic nuclei located in the descending autonomic pathway?
Hypothalamus & Brainstem
Where do the axons from the descending autonomic pathway run in the spinal cord?
Adjacent to the intermediolateral cell column of sympathetic fibers.
What clinical symptoms would present in a patient with damage to the sympathetic ganglia in the head?
Horner’s sydnrome: Ipsilateral Ptosis (droopy eyelid), Red eyes, Miosis and Decreased sweating.
Lesions in what locations will present with Horner’s syndrome?
Anywhere there are sympathetic fibers going to the head: hypothalamus, brainstem, lateral funiculus of spinal cord, lateral horn of T1-T4, T1-T4 Ventral roots, spinal nerves & white rami, cervical sympathetic trunk and superior cervical ganglia.
What parasympathetic clinical symptoms may people present with if they have had a spinal cord lesion at T6 or above?
Autonomic dysreflexia: the lesion causes over activation of the sympathetic nervous system below the lesion and parasympathetic over compensation above the lesion. This causes increased BP, decreased HR, flush and sweating UE and piloerection w/cold LE.
A 72 year old man had an onset of increased blood pressure, reduced heart rate, sweating and flushed upper extremities with piloerection and cold lower extremities. How do you treat this patient?
Remove the stimulus, if there is one, that is causing autonomic dysreflexia. Anti-hypertensives, vasodilators and ganglionic blockers may help calm down the sympathetic nervous system.
