Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Autonomic Nervous System
N/A
25
Medical
Graduate
04/06/2012

Additional Medical Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
What are the two central components to the human nervous system?
Definition

Somatic (sensory/motor information)

 

Autonomic (neuroendocrine)

Term
What characteristics can be associated with the somatic nervous system?
Definition

Direct pathways, fairly convergent, requires signaling to function

 

muscles die if not innervated

Term
What characterizes the autonomic nervous system?
Definition

Deals with the viscera (the interstitial tissue)

 

One system for dealing with food (enteric)

 

Divergent

 

Preganglion -> spinal ganglion -> post ganglion

 

Neuroeffector junctions (axon to axon)

Term
What are some anatomical features of the sympathetic nervous system?
Definition

Travel along nerves or blood vessels to organs they innervate

 

Viscerotopic organization, ipselateral leisions produce some ipselateral deficits

 

Ach preganglions

 

Mainly norepinephrine based postganglions, (Ach for goosebumps)

Term
What are some characteristics of neuromodulatory function? What are some common neuromodulators
Definition

long duration effects, peptides

 

Neuropeptide Y

VIP

Substance P

CGCRP

Term
What substances allow the autonomic nervous system to be overridden locally?
Definition

nitrous oxide

VIP to a lesser extent

Term
Describe the spinal innervation of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system
Definition

Sympathetic (middle spine) [thoracic-lumbar]

 

Parasympathetic [cranial-sacral]

 

No overlapping innervation!

Term
Describe the parasympathetic neurotransmitters.
Definition

Preganglion -> Ach (nicotinic receptors)

Postganglionic -> Norepinephrine, except sweat glands which are Ach

Term
Name the parasympathetic Efferents functions
Definition

CN III -> pupilary constrictor

CN VII -> Crying and salivating (submaxillary)

CN IX -> Parotid salivary

CN X -> Vagus motor ganglion -> heart, lung, intestine, pangcreas

 

Sacral Spinal cord -> Colon, rectum, bladder, sex

Term
How do visceral afferents ascend usually?
Definition

following back sympathetic efferents to the ganglions (pain fibers), and then the spinal cord

 

follow Cranial nerves to brainstem

Term
Describe what causes referred pain
Definition

Divergence in the pain pathway, primarily in the spinothalamic tract

 

Gall bladder pain stabs you in the back!

Term
What is the information carried by the autonomic system called?
Definition

Interoception

 

Takes the form of distension of smooth muscle, chemical, injury, inflamation (tumors don't cause pain until they swell on something)

Term
What are the main principles of autonomic function?
Definition

Target organs function independently of innervation, loss of innervation means a loss of coordination

 

Sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (relax) have opposite effects generally

 

Maintains homeostasis

 

Local environment influences firing probability of autonomic neurons

Term
Describe the direct pathway of the fight or flight response
Definition
Hypothalamus -> sympathetic activation -> activates adrenal medula, releasing norepinephrine and epinephrine into bloodstream
Term
What happens when you put norepinephrine into a smooth muscle?
Definition

Vascular -> contracts, increases Blood pressure

 

Bronchiolar -> relaxes, vasodilates (increases blood exposure to air)

 

Completely different effects!

Term
How is thermoregulation accomplished by the skin?
Definition

arteriovenous anastemoses

 

like a radiator bringing water to a heatsink

Term
Describe autonomic functioning of the male sex function
Definition

Erection is parasympathetic! allows blood to pool in penis, pinching off veins (nitrous oxide with cGMP)

 

Ejaculation is sympathetic, contracting the muscle, and then return of the unerect muscle tone, blood drains.

Term
Describe Horner's syndrome
Definition

Unopposed parasympathetic stimulation

 

droopy lids, no sweating, small pupils, localized

 

no variability in breathing rates, heart rates

 

Term
Describe the baroreceptor reflex pathway (sympathetic)
Definition

carotid aretery pressure receptor

 

Nucleus of the solitary tract

 

Rostralventrolateral Medula

 

Reticulospinal tract

 

intermediolateral spinal column

 

sympathetic ganglion

 

Heart and arteries

 

All excitatory

Term
Describe the baroreceptor reflex pathway (parasympathetic)
Definition

Carotid artery pressure sensor

 

Nucleus of the solitary tract

 

Vagal motor nuclues

 

Vagus nerve

 

inhibitory interneuron

 

heart

 

Term
What feedback is utilized in the baroreceptor reflex?
Definition

negative feedback

 

application of a signal produces a reduction in the original signal

Term
How is blood pressure regulated?
Definition

Kidneys retain water to increase blood pressure

 

ADH prevents water excretion along with NaCl (osmolarity conserving), thirst increased

Term
How is autonomic control facilitated?
Definition
Nucleus of the solitary tract receives visceral input, cascade to different limbic nuclei which result in hormonal and other autonomic output
Term
How can pavlovian conditioning affect the immune system?
Definition
When introduced, a immune response can be supressed if there was a immunosuppressant associated with a taste, even though the immunosupressant was not actually given.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!