Chapter 9
The Autonomic Nervous System
Part 1
Overview of the ANS
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 1
Basics
• Motor; Involuntary
• Effectors: cardiac muscle, smooth
muscle, glands
– Visceral organs, blood vessels
• Involves 2 motor neurons
– Preganglionic
– Postganglionic
– Synapse in
autonomic ganglion
• Two divisions
– Sympathetic
– Parasympathetic
Functions of the ANS
• Sympathetic Nervous System
– Fight or Flight
• Parasympathetic Nervous System
– Rest and Digest
– Repast and Repose
– Feed and Breed
• Effects of each are usually antagonistic
• Effects determined by neurotransmitter and
receptor
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 2
5
Sympathetic Division
• “Thoracolumbar” division
– Preganglionic fibers arise from T1-L2
• Ganglia
– Paravertebral or Sympathetic trunk
• All organs
– Collateral or Prevertebral
• Digestive, urinary, reproductive organs only
• Divergence
– Mass activation
– Long-lasting effect
• Adrenal gland
– Medulla secretes E, NE
– Similar to ganglion
• Except hormones released to blood
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 3
Parasympathetic Division
• “Craniosacral” division
– Preganglionic fibers arise from CN 3, 7, 9, 10 and
S2-S4
• Ganglia
– Terminal ganglia
• Preganglionic fibers longer than SNS
• Postganglionic fibers shorter than SNS
– Therefore, does not demonstrate divergence; effect
is more local
*Clinical Connections*
• Drugs affecting the ANS
– Sympathomimetic
• Ephedrine, cocaine
– Sympatholytic
• Propanolol, α and β blockers
– Parasympathomimetic
• Nicotine, muscarine, pilocarpine
– Parasympatholytic
• Atropine
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 4
Part 2
Neurotransmitters and Receptors
Neurotransmitters
• Acetylcholine
– Secreted by cholinergic neurons
• All preganglionic fibers
• All PSNS postganglionic fibers
• Few SNS postganglionic fibers
– Sweat glands, skeletal muscle arterioles
• Norepinephrine
– Secreted by adrenergic neurons
• Most SNS postganglionic fibers
– All others
10
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 5
Neurotransmitters
11
Neurotransmitters
• Effects are antagonistic
– Dual innervation
12
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 6
Adrenergic effects
• Stimulatory examples
– Heart, dilator muscles of iris
• Inhibitory examples
– Bronchiole smooth muscle
• Receptor types determine effect
– Alpha: α1, α2
– Beta: β1, β2
– All are G-protein coupled (GPCRs)
13
Cholinergic effects
• Stimulatory examples
– Smooth muscle in GI organs, constrictor muscles of iris
• Inhibitory examples
– Heart
• Receptor type determines effect
– Nicotinic
• Ligand-gated ion channel
• Always excitatory
– Muscarinic
• G-protein coupled
• Excitatory or inhibitory
14
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 7
Receptors/Neurotransmitters
Most SNS:
Ach Ach NE NE
nAchR Adr
Ach NE
Few SNS:
Ach Ach
Ach Ach
nAchR mAchR
Ach Ach
All PSNS:
Ach Ach
Ach Ach
nAchR mAchR
Ach Ach
15
Part 3
Dual Innervation
16
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 8
Dual Innervation
• Most organs have both SNS & PSNS fibers
– Effects are usually antagonistic
• Heart:
– SNS: stimulates; PSNS: inhibits
• Pupil of the Iris
– SNS: dilation; PSNS: constriction
– Sometimes cooperative
• Salivary glands
– PSNS: stimulates glands; SNS: constricts blood vessels
making saliva thicker
• Reproduction
– PSNS: erection; SNS: ejaculation
17
Organs Without Dual Innervation
• Only SNS innervation
– Adrenal medulla
– Arrector pili muscles
– Sweat glands
– Uterus
– Most blood vessels
• Stimulation due to increased firing
• Inhibition due to decreased firing
18
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 9
ANS Control of Blood Vessels
• Sympathetic control, “fight or flight”
– Vasoconstriction
• Epi/NorEpi (n.t.) via α1 receptors
– Skin and viscera
– Vasodilation
• Epi (h.) via β2 receptors
– Skeletal muscle; coronary arteries
• Acetylcholine (n.t.) via muscarinic receptors
– Skeletal muscle
19
ANS Control of Blood Vessels
• Parasympathetic control “rest and digest”
– Vasodilation
• Acetylcholine via muscarinic receptors
– GI tract, genitalia, salivary glands only
20
Content created by Kelly Neary. Permission required for use. Images provided by The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. 10