L7.3 Nerves and urogenital organs

Question 1

ANS innervation and function

Answer 1

• Innervates all organ/tissues except skeletal muscles
• Main purpose to maintain homeostatsis
• Affects immune and trophic functions as well

Question 2

What is needed in order for SNS to work

Answer 2

• Need signals from peripheral to convey to CNS
• CNS circuits:
  
  • To interpret signals
  • And have appropriate response

Question 3

What are functional antagonists

Answer 3

• Functional antagonist → antagonistic but via different mechanisms/cells

Question 4

Unique features of the pelvic ANS

Answer 4

1. INF hypogastric plexux → most ANS to pelvic organs
   
   • Contains PNS and ANS
2. PNS has long axons
   
   • Becomes vulnerable to injury
3. Sexually dimorphic
   
   • More neurons in male pelvic organs (desner than females)
   • Receptors for sex steroids remain expressed in adult life

Question 5

Clinical applications

Answer 5

1. Neural regeneration after pelvic surgery
   
   • INF hypogastric plexus vulnerable to surgical injury
   • Damage motor and sensory pathways
2. Electroceuticals
   
   • Swapping drugs for devices
   • Treating peripheral N dysfunction
     
     • Activate/inhibit specific N pathways
3. Return control of voiding after spinal cord injury (SCI)
   
   • SCI has big effect on autonomic N function
   • Affects ascending and descending pathways → brain cannot sense & respond accordingly