Peripheral Nervous System Anatomy and Physiology Flashcards
In Alzheimer’s disease, the __________ neurotransmitter system is down-regulated.
cholinergic
What neurotransmitter do the postganglionic parasympathetic neurons utilize?
Acetylcholine (the “cholinergic system”)
What neurotransmitters do the postganglionic sympathetic neurons utilize?
Epinephrine and norepinephrine (the “adrenergic system”)
Comparing the sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons, which has longer preganglionic axons (usually)?
The parasympathetic
All preganglionic-ganglion synapses – regardless of sympathetic or parasympathetic – utilize ______________.
acetylcholine
What is the one type of postganglionic sympathetic neuron that uses acetylcholine?
Those that synapse on sweat glands
How many postganglionic neurons do preganglionic sympathetic and parasympathetic innervate?
Parasympathetic: 1 - 2
Sympathetic: 20 - 50
Most organs have innervation from both the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. What is one major exception?
The blood vessels –which have innervation only from the sympathetic nervous system
Basal tone is usually determined by ___________.
the parasympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic stimulation causes the pupils to _________.
contract (called miosis)
List four cholinergic agonists.
Neostigmine
Bethanecol
Donepezil
Organophosphate nerve gases
What are the three kinds of cholinergic antagonists?
Ipratropium
Atropine
Roncuronium/succinylcholine
Which system is more diffuse, the sympathetic nervous system or the parasympathetic nervous system?
The sympathetic
Which autonomic receptor is responsible for increasing total peripheral resistance?
The alpha-1 sympathetic receptor (found on splanchnic vasculature, cutaneous membranes)
What receptor mediates vasodilation in the skeletal-muscle vasculature?
The beta-2 sympathetic receptor
