Transcript Document
THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
• Innervates smooth muscle, cardiac muscle
and glands
• Helps to maintain homeostasis
• Also called the involuntary or visceral motor
system
THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
• Regulation
– By brainstem, spinal cord, hypothalamus
and parts of the cerebrum
AUTONOMIC GANGLIA AND CIRCUITS
• The motor units of the ANS consist of two neurons:
– Preganglionic Neuron
• Cell body is in the CNS
• Synapses with another neuron before reaching the
effector
• The synapse occurs in an autonomic ganglion outside
the CNS
• (The somatic motor unit consists of one neuron with its
cell body in the CNS and its axon extending to the
effector)
– Postganglionic Neuron
• Extends from the autonomic ganglion in the PNS to the
effector
AUTONOMIC GANGLIA AND CIRCIUTS
CNS
PNS
Effector
THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
DIVISIONS OF THE ANS:
The Sympathetic System (see table 14.4)
• Fight or flight system activated in emergency
situations
• Effects:
– Increases heart rate
– Dilates bronchial tubes and pupils
– Constricts blood vessels
– Stimulates secretion of epinephrine and
norepinephrine from the adrenal gland
– Stimulates sweat glands
– Inhibits digestion
– Aids in ejaculation in males
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Neurons
– Emerge through the ventral roots
of spinal nerves T1 through L2
(thoracolumabar outflow)
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Preganglionic Sympathetic
Neurons
– Preganglionic bodies are
in the lateral horns of the
spinal cord at the T1
through L2 levels
– Preganglionic
sympathetic axons are
short
– Preganglionic fibers pass
through the ventral root
into the white rami
communicantes
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Preganglionic Sympathetic
Neurons
– Preganglionic
sympathetic neurons
synapse with a
postganglionic neuron in
the paravertebral chain
ganglia
• Paravertebral chain
ganglia run lateral to the
spinal cord on both
sides
• There are 22 to 23 pair of
paravertebral ganglia on
both sides of the
vertebral column
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Preganglionic
Sympathetic Neurons
– Preganglionic fibers
may ascend or
descend within the
chain to synapse
within a ganglion at a
different level
– Some sympathetic
preganglionic fibers
pass through the
chain ganglion
without synapsing
• These are called
sympathetic
splanchnic nerves
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Preganglionic
Sympathetic Neurons
– Sympathetic
splanchnic nerves
synapse in ganglia
anterior to the
vertebral column (near
the aorta)
– These ganglia are
called prevertebral or
collateral ganglia
– Sympathetic
splanchnics innervate
smooth muscles of the
abdominal and pelvic
viscera and their blood
vessels
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Postganglionic
Sympathetic Neurons
– Post ganglionic
sympathetic axons are
long
– Post ganglionic
sympathetic neurons
exit the paravertebral
ganglia via the gray
rami communicantes
(unmyelinated) and reenter the spinal nerve
– From here they
continue on to the
effector (viscera, blood
vessels, sweat glands)
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• All sympathetic preganglionic neurons release acetylcholine
as a neurotransmitter (cholinergic)
• Sympathetic postganglionic neurons release norepinephrine
(adrenergic) with the exception of neurons to blood vessels
and sweat glands (cholinergic)
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Adrenal Medulla
– Preganglionic sympathetic neurons innervate the
adrenal medulla
– Cause release of epinephrine and norepinephrine into
the bloodstream
– Has the same effect as the sympathetic system only
lasts 5 to 10 times longer
THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Norepinephrine & Epinephrine
– Norepinephrine and epinephrine both have
similar effects on the body
– Epinephrine has a greater effect on cardiac
stimulation, raising B.P. and increasing
metabolic rate
– Both are secreted by the adrenal medulla in
response to sympathetic stimulation
– Same effect as stimulating organs via
sympathetic nerves only lasts 5 to 10 times
longer
THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Effects:
– Constricts the pupils and bronchi
– Restores gland and digestive system
activity
– Slows heartrate
THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Neurons:
– Emerge with the
cranial nerves (III, VII,
IX and X)
– Some emerge with the
sacral spinal nerves
– Craniosacral outflow
Neuron cell bodies for
the fibers traveling
with cranial nerves are
in the brainstem
Cell bodies for the
fibers traveling with
the sacral spinal
nerves are in the
lateral gray horns of
spinal levels S2-S4
C.N. III
C.N. VII
C.N. IX
C.N. X
THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Preganglionic Parasympathetic
Neurons
– Preganglionic neurons are
long
– Preganglionic neurons travel
from the CNS almost all the
way to the effector before
synapsing with a
postganglionic neuron
THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Postganglionic
Parasympathetic Neurons
– Postganglionic
parasympathetic neurons are
short
– Postganglionic neurons
synapse with preganglionics
on or near the effector organ
in terminal ganglia
(collectively called
intramural ganglia)
– Postganglionic neurons
travel from the terminal
ganglia to the effector cells
THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Cranial Outflow
– With C.N. III, VII, IX and
X
– Preganglionic fibers
travel with each cranial
nerve
– Postganglionic fibers
for C.N. III, VII and IX
travel with C.N. X for
distribution to the face
Vagus nerve
accounts for 90% of
all preganglionic
parasympathetic
fibers in the body
Parasympathetic
fibers from the Vagus
nerve supply almost
every thoracic and
abdominal organ
C.N. III
C.N. VII
C.N. IX
C.N. X
THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
• Sacral Outflow
– Axons run from the spinal
cord with the ventral rami of
S2-S4
– Fibers branch into pelvic
splanchnic nerves
– Most fibers go on to synapse
in intramural ganglia near the
effector organ
– Pelvic splanchnics innervate
the distal large intestine,
urinary bladder, ureters and
reproductive organs
ANS RECEPTORS
• Cholinergic Receptors
– Activated by acetylcholine (Ach)
– Two types:
• Muscarinic
– Found on all effector cells stimulated by postganglionic
cholinergic fibers (all parasympathetic target organs
and some sympathetic)
• Nicotinic
– Found on motor end plates of skeletal muscle
– Found on all postganglionic neurons (sympathetic and
parasympathetic)
– Found on the hormone producing cells of the adrenal
medulla
ANS RECEPTORS
ANS RECEPTORS
• Adrenergic Receptors
– Activated by epinephrine and norepinephrine
– Two types:
• Alpha ()
– Epinephrine has a greater effect on these than
norepinephrine
– Found on all sympathetic target organs except the heart
– Usually stimulatory when NE or Epinephrine binds to them
• Beta ()
– Found in the heart, adipose tissue and most sympathetic
organs
– Usually inhibitory when either hormone binds to them
(except in the heart)
– Cause dilation of blood vessels
ANS RECEPTORS
VISCERAL REFLEXES
• Visceral Reflex Arcs