Report

Lesson Autonomic Nervous System – Lab

Assessing autonomic function – Challenge

Certain symptoms may be indicators of neuropathy, which can affect nerves of the autonomic or peripheral nervous
systems. Categorize the following statements:

Autonomic neuropathy Peripheral neuropathy

Alteration to normal Alteration to normal Difficulty walking

gastrointestinal function
Blurring of vision
Difficulty walking
Dizziness or fainting when
getting up at night
gastrointestinal function
Loss of sensation in the feet
Blurring of vision
Weakness in arm muscles
Dizziness or fainting when
getting up at night
Dry skin

Dry skin Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction Loss of the ability to urinate

Loss of sensation in the feet

Loss of the ability to urinate

Weakness in arm muscles

Effects of nerve stimulation – Activity

0.6
Stimulus
0.4

0.2

0
0.5 Hand Skin Potential (mV)
0
-0.5
-1
0.5
-1 5
Foot Skin Potential (mV)
0
-0.5

-1
6mA

15
40 45 50 55 1:00 1

Effects of nerve stimulation – Analysis

Skin Potential: Latency and Amplitude

Nerve Stimulation: Current (mA) Latency Hand (s) Latency Foot (s) Amplitude: Hand (mV) Amplitude: Foot (mV)

6 1.63 2.33 0.0882872 0.0836109

1.23 2.68 0.100167 0.187078

2.13 2.98 0.111314 0.166308

Mean: 1.66 2.66 0.10 0.15

How can you explain the change in potential across the hand and foot that follows peripheral nerve stimulation?

How do the latencies and amplitudes in the skin of the hand and the foot compare? Explain any differences in the
latencies.

Label the diagram below.

Parasympathetic Parasympathetic Parasympathetic Sympathetic nervous

nervous system nervous system postganglionic system

Parasympathetic
postganglionic

Parasympathetic
preganglionic

Sympathetic
nervous system

Sympathetic
postganglionic

Sympathetic
preganglionic

Parasympathetic Sympathetic Sympathetic

preganglionic postganglionic preganglionic
Effects of other stimuli – Activity

1 Stimulus
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Hand Skin Potential (mV)
2

-1

Foot Skin Potential (mV)

3

2
1
0

-1
2 0 2 4 6 8

Record 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  

Effects of other stimuli – Analysis

Skin Potential:
Latency and Amplitude

Maneuver Latency: Hand (s) Latency: Foot (s) Amplitude: Hand (mV) Amplitude: Foot (mV)

Startle 1.82 2.45 0.0509244 0.0453047

Gasp 2.18 2.59 0.179397 0.084726

Sternal thump 1.86 2.61 0.116947 0.0187843

You may observe a change in the skin potential even before the stimulus is delivered. How can you explain this?
Describe the volunteer's skin potential response after the startle, gasp, and thump stimuli. How can you explain these
findings?

Heart rate variability – Activity

Finger pulse (mV)

0

-200

1.5
ECG (mV)
1
0.5
0
-0.5
0.8 RR Interval (s)

0.7

0.6

0.5
Heart Rate (BPM)

100

90

2:18 2:20 2:22 2:24 2:26 2:28 2

Heart rate variability – Analysis

RR intervals for normal vs deep breathing:

Note: Some data may not be shown.

A B C D E

1 Interval Number Normal RR (s) Next RR (s) Deep RR (s) Next Deep RR (s)

2 1 0.68 0.64 0.64 0.59

3 2 0.64 0.61 0.59 0.62

4 3 0.61 0.66 0.62 0.59

5 4 0.66 0.67 0.59 0.58

6 5 0.67 0.72 0.58 0.60

7 6 0.72 0.66 0.60 0.57

8 7 0.66 0.66 0.57 0.57

9 8 0.66 0.70 0.57 0.59

10 9 0.70 0.72 0.59 0.56

11 10 0.72 0.72 0.56 0.56

12 11 0 72 0 67 0 56 0 59

HRV Poincaré plot Normal Breathing

0.8
Next RR Interval

0.7

0.6

0.5
0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8

RR Interval

HRV Poincaré plot Deep Breathing

0.65
Next RR Interval

0.6

0.55

0.5
0.54 0.56 0.58 0.6 0.62 0.64

RR Interval
Was there greater heart rate variability during quiet breathing or during deep breathing? Explain your findings.

Do the mean RR intervals differ between quiet and deep breathing? How do the SDs differ? Explain these
observations.

Effects of a Valsalva maneuver – Activity

Before you do this activity, predict what will happen to heart rate and the magnitude of the peripheral pulse.

Finger pulse (mV)

0
-100
-200

300
ECG (mV)
1
0.5
0

-0 5
0.74 RR Interval (s)
0.72
0.7
0.68
0.66
0.64
95
Heart Rate (BPM)
90

85

80
44 46 48 50 52 54

Effects of a Valsalva maneuver – Analysis

RR intervals for normal vs Valsalva maneuver:

Note: Some data may not be shown.

1 IntervalANumber Normal
B RR (s) Next CRR (s) Valsalva
D RR (s) Next Valsalva
E RR (s)

1
2 Interval Number 1 Normal RR (s) 0.69 Next RR (s) 0.67 Valsalva RR (s)0.61 Next Valsalva RR (s)
0.62

3 2 0.67 0.67 0.62 0.64

4 3 0.67 0.64 0.64 0.65

5 4 0.64 0.63 0.65 0.65

6 5 0.63 0.64 0.65 0.68

7 6 0.64 0.68 0.68 0.67

8 7 0.68 0.67 0.67 0.64

9 8 0.67 0.66 0.64 0.67

10 9 0.66 0.72 0.67 0.68

11 10 0.72 0.71 0.68 0.66

12 11 0.71 0.70 0.66 0.65

Poincaré plot for normal breathing

0.75

0.7
Next RR interval

0.65

0.6
0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75

RR interval
 Poincaré plot for the Valsalva m​aneuver

Next RR interval 0.7

0.65

0.6
0.6 0.62 0.64 0.66 0.68

RR interval

Explain why the heart rate and finger pulse change during a Valsalva maneuver. Include in your explanation how
changes in arterial blood pressure, peripheral resistance, and autonomic nervous activity bring about these
responses.

Effects of posture on heart rate – Activity

 1000
Finger pulse (mV)
500
0
-500
1000 ECG (mV)

-2
1.2 RR Interval (s)
1
0.8
0.6
04
120 Heart Rate (BPM)
100
80
60
40
1:28 1:30 1:32 1:34 1:36 1:38

Effects of posture on heart rate – Analysis

Describe what happens to the finger pulse when the volunteer stands after lying relaxed.

Describe what happens to the heart rate when the volunteer stands after lying down in a relaxed position.

Describe and explain the sequence of events that occur in the cardiovascular system when a person stands after lying
down. Include in your explanation comments on venous return, central venous pressure, stroke volume, and
peripheral resistance. How do these parameters change?

Pupillary reflexes – Challenge

On the eyes below draw the size of the pupils before and after a light is shone into the eye.

Pupillary reflexes – Activity

The direct light response is when the iris constricts to reduce the pupil aperture and the amount of light entering the
eye.

True

False

What was the response of the pupil in the opposite eye?

What happens to pupil diameter when the eye is focused for near vision? What is the advantage of this change in
diameter?
What happens when the following muscles contract? Match the muscle to the action.

Circular muscles of Radial muscles of the

the iris iris

Radial muscles of the Circular muscles of

iris the iris

What is the apparent biological advantage of the pupillary light reflex?

Popup - Notebook

Reflection notebook:

Kindly answer the questions in spaces in your workbook. In the event there is no space available, write the
questions and your responses in sheets of paper and attach to your Laboratory workbook.

Please recollect that the quiz above was gotten wrong. Write out the correct responses in your report.

Thank you.

Mr. J. A. Olowe.