PATH1001 Lecture 6: Autonomic Nervous System
Document Summary
Role of the autonomic ns: to maintain homeostasis by: Regulating, adjusting and coordinating vital visceral function cardiac muscle, smooth muscle and glands. For example: body temperature, blood pressure, blood flow, respiration, metabolism, digestion and elimination: the hypothalamus serves as the control centre for most ans functions, but others include local reflex circuits in brainstem and spinal cord. Physiological role: regulation of the heart-bloop pressure, heart rate and contractility, regulation of secretory glands- salivary, gastric, sweat and bronciole glands, regulation of smooth muscles-bronchi, blood vessels, urogenital, gi tract. Basic patterns: sympathetic effect opposes that of the parasympathetic effect. Ie in the heart, the sympathetic nervous system increases heart contraction and heart rate, while the parasympathetic nervous system decreases heart contraction and heart rate: sympathetic effect compliments that of parasympathetic. Ie in the male reproductive organ, parasympathetic nervous system stimulation causes erection, while sympathetic nervous system stimulation causes ejaculation. Ie veins only innervated by the sympathetic ns.
