Autonomic Nervous

System
 Learning Objectives
By the end of this lecture, you should be able
to:
1. Compare somatic and autonomic nervous
system.
2. Compare and contrast the two divisions of
the autonomic nervous system.
3. Discuss neurotransmission in the
autonomic nervous system.
 Divisions Of The Nervous
System
 Autonomic nervous system is that part of the
nervous system which control the functions of:-
1. Cardiac muscle.
2. Smooth muscle.
3. Exocrine glands.

 Somatic nervous system is that part of the

nervous system that controls skeletal muscle
contraction.
A.ch
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Autonomic Ganglia
 A ganglion is a collection of nerve cells outside the CNS
 The nerve fiber that enter the ganglion is called preganglionic nerve fiber.
 The nerve fiber coming out of the ganglion is called postganglionic nerve fiber.
 The chemical transmitter released from all preganglionic fibers in all autonomic
ganglia is acetylcholine
 They act as integrating and distribution centers.

Preganglionic
Preganglionic fiber
fiber Autonomic
Autonomic ganglion
ganglion Postganglionic
Postganglionic fiber
fiber
 Somatic Autonomic
nervous nervous system
system
Mode of Voluntary Involuntary
action
Effector Skeletal Smooth muscle,
muscle cardiac muscle
and glands
Effect Always Can be
excitatory excitatory or
inhibitory
 Somatic nervous Autonomic nervous
system system
Site All the spinal cord Thoracic, upper three
lumbar and middle sacral
segments and cranial
nerves III,VII, IX, X
Reflex The efferent neuron The efferent preganglionic
arc arise from the fiber arise from the lateral
anterior horn of the horn of the spinal cord and
spinal cord synapse with autonomic
ganglia outside the central
nervous system CNS
Chemical Acetylcholine Acetyl choline
transmitter
Or
Norepinephrine
 Origin and outflow of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

*Originate from all thoracic segments and upper three lumbar segments *Originate from cranial nerves III,VII,IX,X and middle three sacral
*Preganglionic efferent fibers relay in lateral and collateral ganglia (near the segments.
spinal cord) *Preganglionic efferent fibers relay in terminal ganglia (near the
*Preganglionic efferent fibers are short while the postgan-glionic fibers are effector).
long. *Preganglionic fibers are long while the postganglionic fibers are
short.
 Sympathetic Parasympathetic

origin Thoracolumbar craniosacral

ganglia Lateral and collateral Terminal

Preganglionic fibers are Preganglionic fibers are short ,
short, while the while the postganglionic fibers
postganglionic fibers are are short
long

Eye Dilate the pupil Constrict the pupil

lung Bronchodilation Bronchoconstriction

Heart Tackycardia,increased
contractility
and Increase cardiac output
blood Vasoconstriction and
vessels Increased blood pressure
Bradycardia, decreased
contractilit and decreased
cardiac output
Vasodilatation and Decreased
blood pressure
 Sympathetic Parasympathetic
GIT Decrease motility of Increase motility of wall
wall & secretion of & secretion of glands
glands
Urinary Inhibit micturition Facilitate micturition
bladder
Skin Vasoconstriction of No parasympathetic
blood vessels & sweat innervation to the skin
secretion

Mode & Act as one unit at time Act at rest , sleep and
time of of physical stress, after meals
activity emotions and life
threatening situations
NE
A.Ch

Preganglionic sympathetic fibers Preganglionic

parasympathetic fiber

Neurotransmitters and receptors

Neurotransmitters and receptors
inin autonomic
autonomic nervous
nervous system
system

 Sweat glands
Blood vessels of skeletal muscles
 Neurotransmitters And Receptors In
Autonomic Nervous System
 The neurotransmitter released from all autonomic
preganglionic fibers ( .i.e. in all autonomic ganglia) is
acetylcholine.
 The neurotransmitter released from postgang-lionic
sympathetic fibers is norepinephrine except fibers
innervating sweat glands and blood vessels of skeletal
muscles.
 Postganglionic sympathetic fibers that innervate sweat
glands and blood vessels of skeletal muscles secrete
acetylcholine
 The neurotransmitter released from postgang-lionic
parasympathetic fibers is acetylcholine.
 Receptors that bind acetylcholine are called cholinergic
receptors.
 Receptors that bind norepinephrine are called adrenergic
receptors.