The Autonomic Nervous System Flashcards
What are the 2 major components of the nervous system?
Brain
Nerves
How do nerves transmit info to the effector cells?
neurotransmiters
What are the two ways nervous system is classified?
By physical location
By function
How is the nervous system divided by physical location?
Central = brain and spinal cord
Peripheral = everything else
How is the nervous system divided by function?
Autonomic Nervous System
Somatic Nervous System
What does the Autonomic Nervous System do?
involves actions not under conscious control
controls visceral functions –> cardiac output, blood flow to vital organs, digestion
What does the Somatic Nervous System do?
Involves conscious functions
Movement, respiration, posture
How is the autonomic nervous system broken up?
Sympathetic = thoracolumbar
Parasympathetic = craniosacral
How does the autonomic nervous system exit the brain?
through preganglionic efferent nerve fibers
Where do the parasympathetic fibers exit the central nervous system?
exit through the cranial nerves and 3rd and 4th lumbar spinal nerves
Where do sympathetic fibers exit the central nervous system?
sympathetic fibers exit through thoracic and lumbar spinal nerves
Describe Efferent Nerves
Preganglionic neurons
Postganglionic neurons
Where do the preganglionic neurons originate and where do they go?
originate in the CNS and connect to ganglia in peripheral nervous system
What do postganglionic neurons do?
terminate on effector organs
What do the ganglia do?
act as relay stations to pass messages on to postganglionic nerves
What do afferent neurons do?
They regulate the autonomic nervous system by sensing actions and providing feedback to the CNS
bring info from effector organ to CNS
What are the neurotransmitters of the autonomic nervous system?
Acetylcholine
Norepinephrine
Which types of nerves release acetylcholine (ACh)?
cholinergic nerve fibers
ALL preganglionic efferent autonomic (sympathetic and parasympathetic) fibers
Somatic nerve fibers to skeletal muscles
Which types of nerves release norepinephrine?
adrenergic nerve fibers
MOST postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers
What is the precursor molecule and enzyme that make ACh?
acetyl - CoA
O-acetyltransferase
Where is ACh synthesized in the nerve?
mitochondria
How is it stored in the nerve?
stored as packages of quanta in vesicles at the axon terminal
What stimulates the release of ACh?
Ca2+
What happens when ACh is released into the synaptic cleft?
binds to ACh - receptors
How is ACh action terminated?
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) breaks down ACh –> choline and acetate