Vin

Taste and Smell are considered

viscerosensory although they
become somatic.
Anatomy Theory Week 1 pt. 1
Introduction
The Nerve System is divided into two structural components, the SOMATIC nervous system and the AUTONOMIC nervous system.
Somatic nervous system (cerebral cortex), it is the nervous system for voluntary and conscious actions and is further divided into two
parts, the Somatomotor and the Somatosensory.
Somatomotor for movement, controls skeletal muscles
Somatosensory innervation of the skin (touch, pain, temperature sensation) and mucosa
Autonomic nervous system (or Visceral nervous system) is the focus of the first lesson.
The Autonomic Nervous System
What are its functions?
To maintain internal homeostasis/balance of internal environment
To regulate visceral/internal organs
Centre of the ANS is the hypothalamus, from this originate the nerve hormones (to be covered in Histology) and nerve signals (more
significant to anatomy)
Unlike the somatic nervous system, the autonomic nervous system operates independent of our control.
The ANS also has sensory and motor functions.
Visceromotor innervates smooth muscles (e.g. cardiac muscles, glands and vessels)
Viscerosensory chemoreceptors (concentration of chemicals in blood like hormones) or baroreceptors (for blood pressure)
Visceromotor nerve fibers can be grouped as sympathetic or parasympathetic.
Parasympathetic (calm)
o Digestion, slow pulse, low respiration rate
o Origin
Brain stem (w/ cranial nerves)
Sacral segment of spinal cord (S2-S4)
Sympathetic (fight or flight)
o Releases energy reserves (glycogen)
o Increases pulse, respiration and blood pressure
o Origin
Spinal cord (thoracic and lumbar region)
Ganglions
o Nerve fibers travel with arteries and veins to reach organs
Autonomic nervous system has a special way of reaching the organs via ganglion.
(Somatic NS does not have ganglion)
Ganglion Collection of nerve cells outside of nervous system.
Examiners will like this:
PARASYMPATHETIC CRANIO-CAUDAL ORIGIN
SYMPATHETIC THORACO-LUMBAR ORIGIN
NO SYPATHETIC NERVES IN
CRANIAL NERVES!!