The Autonomic Nervous System Flashcards
What is the autonomic nervous system?
The subconscious control of our bodies, generally innervating smooth muscle of tissues or glands. It is involved with actions such as temperature control (via sweating and vasomotor), continence, secretions and gastric motility.
Where do autonomic neurones arise from?
The spinal cord and directly from the brain.
Autonomic neurones have ________ outside the spinal cord where their axons synapse (pre and post- ganglionic neurones). Therefore the autonomic nervous system takes _____ neurones to reach its target.
Ganglia
Two
What does the sympathetic nervous system do in general?
It prepares the body for intense physical activity.
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do in general?
Relaxes the body and inhibits high energy functions.
What part of the spinal cord are sympathetic cell bodies present in?
Thoracic and lumbar segments. (Thoracolumbar)
Are sympathetic ganglia close or far away from the target organ?
Far away
Where do parasympathetic neurones arise from?
The cranial nerves or from the lumbo-sacral spinal cord.
The parasympathetic ganglia aren’t grouped up in a chain. Are they close or far away from the target organ?
Close.
