BMS Foundations of Functioning of the Autonomic Nervous

Neuroscience System

Efferent (motor)
Autonomic Sensory components
neurones Effector cells
• Receptors
• Viscera – NOT consciously perceived
• Somatosensory/external environment

Autonomic Motor components CNS

• Different to somatic:
1. Effectors innervated
2. No. neurones between CNS & effector
3. Neurotransmission

CNS
Neurotransmission

• Neurotransmitter release

• Neurotransmitters

CNS Sympathetic Adrenal Medulla

SNS

Adrenal Medulla

Parasympathetic

Importance:
Adrenaline → non-innervated receptors

• Bear, Connors and Paradiso

– Neuroscience: exploring the brain
Dr A.J.Cooper • Any general physiology text
– E.g Silverthorn; Berne and Levy……
1
BMS Foundations of Functioning of the Autonomic Nervous
Neuroscience System

What do the SNS and PNS do? How does it work?

• Homeostasis + vision, reproduction • Most organs…

• SNS Alert & Active • Dual Innervation
• Antagonistic
• Heart

• GIT
• PNS Rest & Digest
• Pupil
• Pupil dilation:

• Pupil constriction:

Blood vessels: Odd cases!

How does it work?
• Blood vessels of the head and reproductive organs
• Dual Innervation • SNS
• Not antagonistic • PNS

• Single innervation
– Sweat glands
– most blood vessels SNS PNS
 vasomotor tone

Blood vessels of skeletal muscle and heart

• SNS body-wide activation can → vasodilation!
SNS and PNS working together
• Male sex organs:
All vessels
• PNS
• SNS

↑ SNS activity
Interaction of autonomic and somatic systems
+
• Eg focusing the eyes on a near object
NA 1 2 Ad – ANS –
– Somatic –
• Response to cold
– ANS –
– Somatic –

• Bear, Connors and Paradiso

– Neuroscience: exploring the brain
Dr A.J.Cooper • Any general physiology text
– E.g Silverthorn; Berne and Levy……
2