Lecture 9

Introduction to ANS

Department of Pharmacology
 Organization of The Nervous System

Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System

Autonomic Nervous System Somatic Nervous System

Sympathetic Metasympathetic Parasympathetic

 Autonomic nervous system
• The autonomic nervous system is the subdivision of
the peripheral nervous system that regulates body
activities that are generally not under conscious
control

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Divisions of the autonomic nervous system
• Parasympathetic division
• Sympathetic division
• Metasympathetic
Serve most of the same organs but cause
opposing or antagonistic effects
Parasysmpathetic: routine maintenance
“Rest & Digest”

Sympathetic: mobilization & increased metabolism

“Fight, Flight or Fright”
Metasympathetic(the enteric nervous system)
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 Where they come from

Parasympathetic: Sympathetic:
craniosacral thoracolumbar

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 Interactions of the Autonomic Divisions
• Most visceral organs are innervated by both
sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers
• This results in dynamic antagonisms that
precisely control visceral activity
• Sympathetic fibers increase heart and
respiratory rates, and inhibit digestion and
elimination
• Parasympathetic fibers decrease heart and
respiratory rates, and allow for digestion and the
discarding of wastes
 Parasympathetic nervous system
“rest & digest”

• Also called the craniosacral system because

all its preganglionic neurons are in the brain
stem or sacral levels of the spinal cord
– Cranial nerves III,VII, IX and X
– In lateral horn of gray matter from S2-S4

• Ganglion near effector organ

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 Parasympathetic nervous system
“rest & digest”
• Only innervate internal organs (not skin)

• Acetylcholine is major neurotransmitter

• So called “cholinergic”
 Parasympathetic Receptors
• Muscarinic
– M1
– M2
– M3
• Nicotinic
– N1
– N2
 Parasympathetic neurons
and synapses

Preganglionic neurons
• Long
• Synapse with postganglionic neurons at or near organ
• Release acetylcholine (ACH) to activate its receptors on postganglionic
neurons

Postganglionic neurons
• Short
• Synapse on the target organ
• Release acetylcholine (ACH) to activate its receptors on the target organ
 Sympathetic nervous system

• Also called the Thoracolumbar system

because all its preganglionic neurons originate
from spinal cord

• Epinephrine & norepinephrine are

neurotransmitter at end organ
• So call Adrenergic

• Ganglion near spinal cord

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 Adrenergic Receptors
• Alpha
– Alpha 1
– Alpha 2
• Beta
– Beta 1
– Beta 2
– Beta 3
• Dopamine
– D1, D2, D3, D4, D5
 Summary of sympathetic neurons
and synapses

Preganglionic neurons
• Short
• Synapse with postganglionic neurons near spinal cord
• Release acetylcholine (ACH) to activate nicotinic receptors on postganglionic
neurons

Postganglionic neurons
• Long
• Synapse on the target organ
• Release norepinephrine to activate adrenergic receptors on target organs
• Autonomic system: chains of two motor neurons

– 1st order= preganglionic neuron (in brain or cord)

– 2nd order= postgangionic neuron (cell body in ganglion

outside CNS)

– Slower because lightly or unmyelinated

• Axon of 1st (preganglionic) neuron leaves CNS
to synapse with the 2nd (postganglionic)
neuron
• Axon of 2nd (postganglionic) neuron extends to
the organ it serves
Diagram contrasts somatic (lower) and autonomic:

autonomic
this dorsal
root ganglion
is sensory

somatic

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Note: the autonomic ganglion is motor
• Almost all efferent fibers leaving the central
nervous system are cholinergic
• In addition, most parasympathetic postganglionic
and a few sympathetic postganglionic fibers are
cholinergic
• Most postganglionic sympathetic fibers release
nor-epinephrine
• Dopamine is a very important transmitter in the
central nervous system, and there is evidence that
it is released by some peripheral sympathetic
fibers.
BASIC STEPS IN NEUROCHEMICAL TRANSMISSION

1. Synthesis of neurotransmitter
2. Storage of neurotransmitter
3. Release of neurotransmitter
4. Activation of receptors
5. Termination of action
 BASIC STEPS IN NEUROCHEMICAL TRANSMISSION

• DEPOLARIZATION OF NERVE TERMINAL BY ACTION POTENTIAL

• INFLUX OF CA ++ IONS IN RESPONSE TO DEPOLARIZATION

• RELEASE OF TRANSMITTER IN QUANTAL PACKETS

• DIFFUSION OF TRANSMITTER TO POST-SYNAPTIC RECEPTIORS

 BASIC STEPS IN NEUROCHEMICAL TRANSMISSION
• INTERACTION WITH RECEPTORS AND
PRODUCTION OF POST-SYNAPTIC EFFECT

• INACTIVATION OF TRANSMITTER WITHIN

SYNAPTIC CLEFT

• REUPTAKE OF TRANSMITTER OR OF
DEGRADATION PRODUCT BY NERVE
TERMINALS
 BASIC STEPS IN NEUROCHEMICAL TRANSMISSION

• INTERACTION OF TRANSMITTER WITH PRE-

SYNAPTIC RECEPTORS.
• POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON TRANSMITTER
RELEASE
• NEGATIVE FEEDBACK ON TRANSMITTER
RELEASE
 How do drugs influence the ANS
• Receptor Agonist
• Receptor Antagonist
 Classification of drugs affecting the ANS
• Parasympathetic nervous system
Mimic acetylcholine = cholinergic = M or N agonists =
Parasympathomimetic

Block acetylcholine = anticholinergic = M or N antagonist =

Parasympatholytic
• Sympathetic nervous system
Mimic norepinephrine = adrenergic = adrenergic agonist =
Sympathomimetic

Block norepinephrine = antiadrenergic = adrenergic

antagonist = Sympatholytic
 Exceptions
• Adrenal glands
• Sweat glands
Thank you