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Foundations of Medicine > Autonomic Physiology > Flashcards

Autonomic Physiology Flashcards

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1
Q

How does the nervous system branch out?

A

Central Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System

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2
Q

How does the peripheral nervous system branch out?

A

Afferent Division - sensory

Efferent division - motor
Autonomic Nervous System
Somatic Nervous System

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3
Q

How does the autonomic nervous system branch out?

A

Parasympathetic nervous system: rest and digest
Sympathetic nervous system: fight or flight

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4
Q

Describe the length of parasympathetic neurons

A

Long preganglionic neurons
Short postganglionic neurons

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5
Q

What % of all parasympathetic outflow comes from the vagus nerve that supplies the thoracic and abdominal viscera?

A

75%

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6
Q

Describe the myelination in pre-ganglionic and post-ganglionic fibres in the autonomic nervous system

A

Pre-ganglionic fibre is small myelinated, post- ganglionic fibre is unmyelinated

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7
Q

Where do the ganglia lie in the sympathetic nervous system?

A

Paravertebral ganglia lie in the sympathetic trunk which is close to the spinal cord.
Prevertebral ganglia lie in the collateral ganglia

So trunk = paravertebral, anything else = prevertebral

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8
Q

What type of information does the ventral horn carry?

A

Neurons send fibres to the skeletal muscles, causing muscle contraction

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9
Q

What type of information does the dorsal horn carry?

A

Receive sensory information from all around the body

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10
Q

White ramus is what kind of ganglionic fibre and why?

A

Pre - ganglionic, because of the myelination

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11
Q

What is the grey matter made up of?

A

Cell bodies of the axons

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12
Q

What is white matter made up of?

A

Axons linking the different parts of grey matter together

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13
Q

Where do nerves leave the spine in the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Cranial and sacral regions of the spine

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14
Q

Where do the ganglia lie in the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Close to the target

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15
Q

How are sweat glands innervated?

A

Sympathetic cholinergenic fibers

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16
Q

What class of neurotransmitters are NO and peptides?

A

Nonchollinergenic and nonadregenic receptors

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17
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

A

Things you don’t think about:

Blood vessels
Airways
Bladder
Eye
Sex organs
Cardiac muscle
Glands

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18
Q

How do the somatic and autonomic NS differ in their fibres?

A

Somatic NS: One fibre

Autonomic NS: two fibres
Preganglionic fibre
Post ganglionic fibre

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19
Q

Where are the cell bodies of motor neurons in the somatic nervous system?

A

Ventral horn of the spinal cord

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20
Q

What is the collection of cell bodies in the autonomic nervous system called?

A

Ganglion

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21
Q

What is the difference in the myelination of the pre and post ganglionic fibres of the autonomic nervous system?

A

The pre-ganglionic fibres are small and myelinated, whereas the post-ganglionic fibres are unmyelinated.

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22
Q

Describe the junction in the autonomic nervous system

A

Less specialised than the somatic nervous system

Metabotropic receptors

May excite or inhibit target cells

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23
Q

What does the sympathetic branch of the nervous system do?

A

Fight or flight

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24
Q

What does the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system do?

A

Rest and digest

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25
What is the outflow of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system?
Thoracolumbar outflow T1-L5
26
What is the outflow of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system?
Craniosacral outflow Cranial nerves (CN3.7,9,10) Sacral spinal cord (S2-S4)
27
Discuss sympathetic fibre length
Short preganglionic Long postganglionic
28
Discuss parasympathetic fibres
Long preganglionic Short postganglionic
29
What do short preganglionic fibres indicate?
Ganglia are very close
30
What nerve represents the main components of the parasympathetic nervous system?
The vagus nerve oversees an array of bodily functions, including control of mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate.
31
Where do sympathetic ganglia lie?
Close to spinal cord in sympathetic chain (paravertebral ganglia) or in (prevertebral) ganglia
32
What does the neurotransmitter acetylchloline act on?
Cholinergic receptors which can be: - Nicotinic receptors (have integral ion) - Muscarinic receptors (G protein-coupled)
32
Where do parasympathetic ganglia lie?
Close to target organ
33
What does the neurotransmitter noradrenaline act on?
Adrenergic receptors which can be: α receptors - α1, α2 β receptors - β1, β2
34
Discuss parasympathetic neurotrasnmitter pathway
Acetylcholine neurotransmitter on the cholinergic nicotinic receptor of the autonomic ganglionic Acetylcholine neurotransmitter on the cholinergic muscarinic receptor of target tissue
35
Discuss sympathetic neurotransmitter pathway
Acetylcholine neurotransmitter on the nicotinic receptor of the autonomic ganglionic Norepinephrine neurotransmitter on the adrenergic receptor of target tissue - could be α receptors or β receptors
36
What do sympathetic postganglionic cells of the adrenal medulla release?
Adrenaline (80%) and noradrenaline (20%) into the blood which acts on α receptors or β receptors
37
What do sympathetic cholinergic fibres innervate?
Sweat glands Sympathetic as they have a short pre-ganglionic fibre which synapses onto a long post-ganglionic fibre.
38
What do some postganglioinic fibres use?
Non-adrenergic non-cholernergic transmitters (NANC) eg peptides
39
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the radial muscle of the eye?
Activates α1 receptors on radial muscle of the iris. Radial muscle contracts, makes pupil wider.
40
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the radial muscle of the eye?
Activates muscarinic receptors on sphincter of the iris. Contracts sphincter muscle, making pupil smaller.
41
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the ciliary muscle of the eye?
Activates β2 receptors on ciliary muscle around lens. Ciliary muscle relaxes and eye focuses far away.
42
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the ciliary muscle of the eye?
Activates muscarinic receptors on ciliary muscles around the lends. Ciliary muscle contracts and eye focuses close up
43
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the heart?
Activates β1 receptors on the myocytes. Increases strength of contraction. Activates β2 receptors on pacemaker cells. Increases heart rate.
44
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the heart?
Activates muscarinic receptors on the pacemaker cells. Decreases heart rate. Little effect in myocytes and strength of contraction.
45
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the lungs?
Activates β2 receptors on smooth muscle of airways. Makes smooth muscle relax and dilates airways.
46
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the lungs?
Activates muscarinic receptors. Makes smooth muscle contract and constricts airways.
47
How can adrenergic receptors be useful in clinic?
β1 antagonist (eg atenolol) - decreases heart rate, limiting effect on airways β2 agonist (eg salbutamol) - dilates airways, limited effect on the heatr
48
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the blood vessels?
Activates α1 receptors on smooth muscles of vessels Makes smooth muscle contract and blood flow decrease Activates β2 receptors on smooth muscle of vessels Makes smooth muscle relax and blood flow increases
49
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the blood vessles?
Usually no effect
50
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the salivary glands?
Activates β receptors Stimulates thick secretion rich in enzymes
51
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the salivary glands?
Activates muscarinic receptors Stimulates profuse watery secretion
52
What are salivary glands an example of?
Dual innervation with non-antagonistic actions
53
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the bladder?
Activates β2 receptors on smooth muscle of bladder wall Relaxes smooth muscle and reduces pressure Activates α1 receptors on smooth muscles of sphincter Contracts smooth muscle and stops urination
54
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the bladder?
Activates muscarinic receptors on bladder wall Contracts smooth muscle and increase pressure Activates muscarinic receptors on sphincter Relaxes smooth muscle and causes urination
55
How does the sympathetic nervous system work on the reproductive tract?
Activates α1 receptors on smooth muscle of urethra Contracts smooth muscle and causes ejaculation
56
How does the parasympathetic nervous system work on the reproductive tract?
Activates muscarinic receptors on smooth muscle of corpus cavernosum Relaxes smooth muscle and causes erection
57
What is the reproductive tract an example of?
Dual innervation with complementary effects
58
What is the central control of the autonomic reflex?
Integrated in brain, mainly hypothalamus, thalamus and brainstem eg baroreceptor Integrating centre looks at the information Coordinates a sympathetic and parasympathetic outflow to vary heart rate, strength of contraction and constriction of blood vessels accordingly
59
What do α1 receptors work on?
Radial muscle of eye Blood vessels Bladder Reproductive tract
60
What do β1 receptors work on?
Heart - myocytes
61
What do β2 receptors work on?
Ciliary muscles of eye Heart - pacemaker cells Lungs Blood vessels Salivary glands Bladder

Foundations of Medicine (56 decks)

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