Autonomic Nervous System

 Cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, glands, adipose tissue

 Primary function: regulate organs to maintain homeostasis
 Sympathetic and parasympathetic branches
 Dual innervation to most organs
 Act antagonistically
 Both are active at the same time and the parasympathetic branch dominates
 Autonomic nervous system is an efferent system, going from cns to the organ
 Neurons communicate through synapses located in the autonomic ganglia of the
peripheral structures
 Preganglionic neurons: travel from the CNS to the ganglia
 Postganglionic neurons: travel from the ganglia to the effecter organs
 In each ganglion there are axon terminals of preganglionic neurons and dendrites of
post ganglionic neurons
 Intrinsic neurons: modulate flow of info to the target organs

Anatomy of the Sympathetic Nervous System

 Preganglionic neurons originate in the thoracolumbar spinal cord (thoracic and lumbar
portions)
 Lateral horn or the intermediolateral cell column
 3 models of innervation
 Sympathetic chain: Most common arrangement of the pre and postganglionic neurons
 Preganglionic neurons have short axons that originate in the lateral horn of the
spinal cord & exit the spinal cord in the ventral root
 After the dorsal and ventral roots merge to form a spinal nerve, the axon of the
preganglionic neuron leave the spinal nerve through the white ramus (myelinated)
and enters one of the sympathetic ganglia just outside the spinal cord and synapses
with several post ganglionic neurons whose long axons travel to the effector organ.
These postganglionic axons return to the spinal nerve via gray ramus (unmyleinated
C fibers) and then travel to the effector organ
 Sympathetic chains: sympathetic ganglia are linked together to form structures that
run parallel to the spinal column
 ***A preganglionic neuron that enters a ganglia may have COLLATERALS that travel
up down the chains and synpase with other postganglionic neurons, which leads to
the production of a widespread action that affects many different organs at the
same time
 Neurons that are passing through the sympathetic chain will all be activated at the
same time
 Ex: fight or flight
 A very quick dispersal of activation due to multiple effector organs?
 Long preganglionic neurons
 Terminate in effector organs (adrenal medulla) instead of synapsing on
postganglionic neurons
 Chromaffin cells are modified postganglionic endocrine cells
 Medulla releases the catecholamines: epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine
 Collateral ganglia
 Preganglionic cells that synapse with postanglionic neuorns in the structures called
collateral ganglia which is between the CNS and the effector organ
  Does not synapse with sympathetic chain, can pinpoint to specific parts of the body
that we want to see a response in
 Found in pairs
 Collateral ganglia include the celiac ganglia (stomach, liver, spleen), superior
mesentirc ganglia (small intestine, upper large intestine), inferior mesenteric ganglia
(most of the large intestine, kidneys, bladder, reproductive organs)
 Preganglionic neuron exists the spinal cord in the ventral root and enters the
sympathetic chain via white ramus. The axon of the preganglionic neuron continues
through the ganglion without forming a synapse and instead travels to a collateral
ganglion via a sympathetic nerve. In the collateral ganglion, the preganglionic
neuron forms synapses with several postganglionic neurons that travel to target
tissues.
 Routes can selectively target organs and exert discrete effects BECAUSE the ganglia
are not interconnected like the sympathetic chain

Anatomy of the parasympathetic branch

 Craniosacral division: the preganglionic neurons emerge from the brainstem or the sacral
SC
 Preganglionic neurons are long and terminate in ganglia near the effector organ. In the
ganglia, they form synapses with the short postganglionic neurons that travel to the
effector organ.
 Vagus nerve: originates in the medulla, oculomotor nerve, facial nerve, glossopharyngeal
nerve
 Unlike sympathetic preganglionic neurons that join with the spinal nerve, parasympathetic
preganglionic neurons join with other parasympathetic preganglionic neurons to from
distinct pelvic nerves that innervate the colon, bladder, and reproductive organs

Neurotransmitters of the autonomic nervous system

 Preganglionic neurons: acetylcholine
 Postganglionic neurons
 Parasympathetic: acetylcholine
 Sympathetic: norepinephrine and epinephrine
Cholinergic receptors
 Nicotonic cholinergic receptors: ionotropic
 Open cation channels: both sodium and potassium
 Channel opening results in depolarization because sodium rush in faster than
potassium rush out since sodium is further from equilibrium, EXCITATATORY
 Located on cell bodies and dendrites of postganglionic neurons, on chromaffin cells
of the medulla, and skeletal muscle cells
 Muscarinic cholinergic receptors
 G protein coupled
 Effect depends on the target cell
 Found on the effector organs of the parasympathetic nervous system
 CAN BE EXCITATORY OR INHIBITORY
Adrenergic receptors: bind norepinephrine and epinephrine
 Two main classes: alpha and beta
 Each has subclasses
 All are coupled to G proteins
  Understand the differences between the types of receptors and some of the receptor
types within each sub group
 Alpha receptors: greater affinity for NE, excitatory, stimulate muscle contraction or
gland secretions
 B1 B3 receptors: equal affinities for epinephrine and NE
 B2 receptors: high affinity for epinephrine, inhibitory response
 Drugs that alter the autonomic nervous system
 Atropine: blocks muscarinic cholinergic receptors
 Pupillary dilation for purposes of viewing retina, blocks the constriction
response to light
 Treat vagal-induced fainting, treat gastric ulcers
 Propranolol: B1 and B2 antagonist
 Treat ventricular arrhythmias and angina pectoris
 Blocks binding of epinephrine and norepinephrine, regulate heart rate
 Treat hypertension with betablockers
 The heart is autonomic, it is innervated by the autonomic system so
propranolol regulates that mechansim
 Q: a person suffers from an overactive bladder. Which drug targeting which branch
 Treat the parasympathetic nervous system
 In order to urinate, need contraction of the bladder wall and relaxation of the
sphincter

Neuroeffector junctions
 Synapse between postganglionic neuron and effector organ
 Neurotransmitter stored in varicosities
 Released in response to action potential
 One action potential causes neurotransmitter release from multiple varicosities
 The neurotransmitter released from a varicosity diffuses over a greater area of the
effector organ, binding to receptors on cells throughout the effector organ
 Similar uptake of choline after degradation by acetylcholinestrase. Choline is
actively transported back into the postganglionic varicosity
Regulation of autonomic function
 Organs are dually innervated
 Msut be a blaance b/w parasympathetic and sympathetic activity
 Increases in parasympathetic activity are coupled with decreases in
 Visceral reflexes: regulated by hypothalamus, pons, medulla oblongata
 Blood pressure, pupillary light reflex, swallowing
 Spinal reflexes
 Urination, defecation, ejaculation
 Limbic system
 Emotions have an effect on autonomic nervous system function

Somatic nervous system

 Effector organ: skeletal muscle
 A single motor neuron innervates multiple muscle fibers
 Each fiber is innervated by a single neuron
 Motor unit: motor neuron and all fibers it innervates
 Neurotransmitter: acetylcholine
  The axon terminals of the motor neuron, terminal boutons, store and release
acetylcholine
 Receptors: nicotinic cholinergic
 Motor end plate: specialized region of the muscle fiber's plasma membrane
 When a motor neuron is activated, action potentials are propagated to the terminal
boutons at the neuromuscular junctions of all muscle fibers in the motor unit. Resulting
depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels in the boutons to open
 Acetylcholine difuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to nicotinic cholinergic receptors
at the motor end plate causing cation channels to open, sodium flows into the muscle
fiber, produces EPP
 End plate potential
 Similar to EPSPs
 Can normally depolarize fiber to threshold
 All neural communication is excitatory, leads to contraction
 No inhibitory neurons with the somatic nervous system
 If transmission at the neuromuscular junction is altered, like in myasthenia gravis, normal
function of skeletal muscle is lost
 Autoimmune disease, antibodies against acetylcholine receptor, decrease in the # of
functional receptor on the cell surface, can't respond properly to acetylcholine
 Black widow spider: stimulate release of acetylcholine, muscle spasms, respiratory failure
 Rattle snake: inhibit release of acetylcholine, paralysis of skeletal muscles
 REVIEW

Autonomic: para Autonomic: Somatic

sympathetic
Origin Brainstem or lateral Lateral horns of the Ventral horns of
horns of the sacral thoracic and lumbar the spinal cord
spinal cord spinal cord
Neurons Preganglionic & Preganglionic & One: motor
postganglionic postganglionic neuron
Effectors Cardiac muscle, Cardiac muscle, smooth Skeletal muscle
smooth muscle, muscle, glands, adipose
glands tissue
Neurotransmitters at Acetylcholine Norepinephrine Acetylcholine
neuroeffector junction
Receptor type at Muscarinic cholinergic Adrenergic Nicotinic
effector organ cholinergic
Effects on effector Excitation or Excitation or inhibition Excitation
organ inhibition
Control Involuntary Involuntary Voluntary