Spinal and Cranial Nerves

Question 1

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Answer 1

the portion of the nervous system that is motor (efferent) to smooth muscle. cardiac muscle, and glandular epithelium; consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic parts

Question 2

general somatic afferent (GSA)

Answer 2

a functional classification of neurons that covey sensory information from the skin, body wall, and limbs to the CNS; the cell bodies of these pseudounipolar neurons are located in the spinal (dorsal root) ganglia and in sensory ganglia of some cranial nerves; receptors of these neurons detect pain, temperature, touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception

Question 3

general somatic efferent (GSE)

Answer 3

a functional classification of neurons that convey motor information to skeletal myocytes (extrafusal fibers of skeletal muscle) - alpha motor neurons- and to intrafusal myocytes in muscle (neuromuscular) spindles - gamma motor neurons; the cell bodies of these multipolar neurons are located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and in certain cranial nerve nuclei; axon endings of these neurons are motor endplates

Question 4

general visceral afferent (GVA)

Answer 4

a functional classification of neurons that convey sensory information from the viscera; the cell bodies of these psuedounipolar neurons are located in spinal (dorsal root) ganglia and in sensory ganglia of some cranial nerves; receptors of these neurons detect pain and pressure (distension)

Question 5

general visceral efferent (GVE)

Answer 5

a functional classification of neurons that convey motor information to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glandular epithelium; the cell bodies of these multipolar neurons are located in the CNS (preganglionic neurons) and in ganglia (postganglionic neurons); general visceral effent is synonymous with “autonomic” and applies to both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons