AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

(ANS) I
Lecture 1 - 2

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 OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
• Describe the location of the cell bodies and axonal projections of
preganglionic sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons.
• Describe the location and pathways of postganglionic sympathetic and
parasympathetic neurons.
• Name the neurotransmitters that are released by preganglionic autonomic
neurons, postganglionic sympathetic neurons, postganglionic
parasympathetic neurons, and adrenal medullary cells.
• Outline the functions of the autonomic nervous system.
• List the ways that drugs act to increase or decrease the activity of the
components of the autonomic nervous system.
• Describe the location of neurons that provide input to sympathetic
preganglionic neurons.
• Describe the composition and functions of the enteric nervous system.
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 The Nervous System
The different body activities are regulated by two main systems, The
nervous system and the endocrine system. The nervous system is
quicker than endocrine system in its regulation.
Nervous system is divided into two functional divisions:

1. Central nervous system

2. Peripheral nervous system

 1- CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
It is the part of the nervous system which is protected by bones and
covered by meninges. It is formed of the brain and spinal cord
1- The Brain: protected inside the skull and
consists of
- 2 cerebral hemispheres (cerebrum)
- Basal ganglia
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
- Brain stem including:
* Midbrain
* Pons
* Medulla oblongata
- Cerebellum lies posterior to the brain stem
2- The spinal cord: It lies inside the vertebral canal
Spinal cord is divided functionally into 31 segments
Spinal Cord segments includes:
- Cervical part (8 segments)
- Thoracic part (12 segments)
- lumbar part (5 segments)
- Sacral part (5 segments)
- Coccygeal part(1 segment)
Each spinal cord segment gives attachment on
either side to spinal nerve (peripheral nerve)
There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, these spinal
nerves carry sensory and motor fibers
 2- PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
It is formed of the nerves which connect the CNS to the different organs
of the body, these nerves are called peripheral nerves.
It consists of cranial nerves (12 pairs), arising from the brain and spinal
nerves (31pairs), arising from the spinal cord.
Functionally peripheral nerves may have
1- Sensory function: transmitting sensory
Impulses from periphery of body to CNS
2- Motor function: transmitting motor orders
From CNS to body organs e.g. muscles, glands
3- Mixed: contain both sensory and motor fibers
It is divided into two subdivisions:
Motor functions of the body may be
A- Voluntary: controlled by the will e.g. contraction of skeletal muscles
to perform a work
B- Involuntary: Spontaneous not controlled by the will e.g.
- contraction of smooth muscles
- contraction of cardiac muscles
- secretion of glands
Peripheral nerves that control involuntary motor functions of the
body are called autonomic nerves

Autonomic nervous system consists of two divisions,

sympathetic division and parasympathetic division.
 Autonomic nerves:
1. Cranial autonomic nerves : 3, 7, 9 and 10
2. Thoracolumbar autonomic nerves : arise
from lateral horn cells (LHCs) of all thoracic
and upper 2-4 lumbar segments.
3. Sacral autonomic nerves : arise from LHCs
of the second, third and forth sacral
segments (S2, S3 and S4)

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 Characters of the ANS:
1.Most of the organs have double
supply
2.The cranial and sacral divisions
of the ANS have complementary
functions, while the
thoracolumbar division have the
opposite effect.
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3.The craniosacral division of
the ANS is called the
Parasypathetic Nervous
System (PSNS).
4.The thoracolumbar division
is called the Sympathetic
Nervous System (SNS)
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5. The sympathetic nervous system
has wide distribution than the
parasympathetic nervous system.
6. Autonomic fibers that arise from
the CNS do not pass directly to the
effector organs, but relay (synapse)
on a second neuron that will
transmit the impulse to the
effector organ.
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Autonomic pathway from the CNS to the effector organs consists of:
- Preganglionic nerve fibers: arise from CNS and end in the autonomic
ganglia where relay occurs
- Autonomic ganglia: where the synapse occurs between preganglionic
and postganglionic fibers
- Postganglionic nerve fibers: arise from autonomic ganglia and
terminate on the effector organ
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 Types of Autonomic ganglia:

1.Lateral
2.Collateral
3.Terminal
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1- Lateral ganglia (paravertebral-sympathetic chain):
- They present one on each side of the vertebral column
- The chain is only for the relay of the sympathetic fibers
- The chain consists of the following number of ganglia
Cervical ganglia 3 (superior, middle and inferior)
Thoracic ganglia 12
Lumbar ganglia 4
Sacral ganglia 4
Coccygeal 1
2- Collateral ganglia
- Present near big abdominal arteries e.g. Celiac, superior mesenteric
- These ganglia serve mainly sympathetic relay and parathempathetic
relay to very slight extent

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3- Terminal ganglia
- These ganglia present inside the wall of organs
- They serve only parasympathetic relay, postganglionic fibers are
very short and terminate on the receptors of the effector organs

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 Functions of the AG:
•They act as a
distributing
centers.
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The autonomic ganglia act as a distributing center …How?
To be continued next lecture
 Functions of the
Sympathetic Nervous
System

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1. Sympathetic outflow to the
head and neck:
• Origin : LHCs of the upper 2 thoracic segments.
• Relay : in the superior cervical ganglion. The
postganglionic fibers proceed along the branches
of the carotid artery to the head and neck.
• Functions :
1. Motor to the dilator pupillae muscle.
2. Motor to tarsal muscles.
3. Motor to retro-ocular (Muller’s Muscle)
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4.Effect on skin :
A.Vasoconstriction
B.Secretory to sweat glands.
C. Motor to erector pilae muscle
5.Trophic secretory fibers to
salivary glands.
6.Weak VC of cerebral blood
vessels.
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 Horner’s Syndrome
Injury of the sympathetic supply to the
head and neck or to the SCG produces
the following effects:
1. Ptosis
2. Miosis
3. Enophthalmos
4. Anhydrosis
5.
25 VD in the skin of the affected side
 2. Sympathetic outflow to the
Thoracic Viscera:
• Origin : LHCs of the upper 5 thoracic
segments (mainly from T3 and T4)
• Relay : in the three cervical ganglia (SCG,
MCG and ICG) and upper thoracic ganglia of
the sympathetic chain
• Functions :
1. On the Heart : increase all properties of the
cardiac muscle
2. On the Lungs and Bronchi : bronchodilatation
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 3. Sympathetic outflow to
the Abdominal Viscera:
• Origin : LHCs of the lower 6 thoracic segments
and upper 2 lumbar segments (T7 – L2)
• Relay : the preganglionic fibers leave the
sympathetic chain without relay i.e. as
preganglionic fibers to relay in collateral ganglia
(Celiac, Superior and Inferior mesentric and
Renal ganglia). The preganglionic form the
Greater Splanchnic Nerve. The postganglionic
fibers pass along the arterial branches to supply
the abdominal viscera.
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• Functions :

1. Both VD and VC to abdominal blood vessels. The

VC is more potent.
2. Inhibitory to smooth muscles in the wall of the
stomach and small intestine; but motor to
sphincters.
3. Glucogenolytic to the liver.
4. Secretory fibers to suprarenal medulla.
5. In animals only, it stimulates the smooth muscles
in the capsule and trabeculae of the spleen.
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 4. Sympathetic outflow to
the Pelvic Viscera:
• Origin : LHCs of the upper 4 lumbar segments.
They leave the sympathetic chain without relay as
the Lesser Splanchinic Nerves which join each
other from both sides to form the Presacral
Nerve.
• Relay : in the hypogastric ganglia on each side of
rectum.

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• Functions :
1. VC of the blood vessels of the pelvic viscera including
the erectile tissue of the penis and clitoris producing
shrinkage of these organs.
2. Inhibitory to the smooth muscles of the wall of the
large intestine; but motor to the internal anal
sphincter.
3. Inhibitory to the smooth muscles of the wall of the
urinary bladder; but motor to the internal urethral
sphincter.
4. Motor to the smooth muscles of the vas deferens,
seminal vesicles, ejaculatory duct and prostate.
5. Motor and inhibitory fibers to the ureters, uterus and
fallopian tubes.
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 5. Sympathetic outflow to the
Limbs and Thoracic Wall:
• Sympathetic supply to the upper limbs:
– Origin: LHCs of the 5th to the 9th thoracic segments.
– Relay : in the lower 2 cervical ganglia (MCG and ICG).
• Sympathetic supply to the lower limbs:
– Origin: LHCs of the 10th thoracic to the 2nd lumbar
segments (T10-L2).
– Relay: in the lumber and sacral ganglia.
• Sympathetic supply to the thoracic and abdominal
walls:
– Origin: LHCs of all thoracic and various lumbar segments.
– Relay: thoracic and lumbar ganglia
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• N.B.
1. The postganglionic fibers to the upper limbs join
the brachial plexus to be distributed to the upper
limbs.
2. The postganglionic fibers to the lower limbs join
the lumbosacral plexus to be distributed to the
lower limbs.
3. The postganglionic fibers to the thoracic and
abdominal walls join the corresponding spinal
nerves to be distributed to the thoracic and
abdominal walls.
4. The sympathetic supply affect mainly the skin and
skeletal muscles.
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• Functions:
1. Effects on skin:
• VC of skin blood vessels
• Stimulation of sweat secretion.
• Erection of hairs.
2. Effects on skeletal muscles:
• VD of skeletal blood vessels.
• Orbelli phenomenon:
– Increased force of contraction
– Delays the onset of fatigue.
– Early recovery from fatigue.

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• The SNS prepares the body for the
process of fight and flight under stress
conditions.It acts as a whole to produce:
1. Increased visual field.
2. Increased pumping of the heart.
3. Increased oxygenation of the blood.
4. Shift of blood from areas of less activity
e.g. the splanchinic circulation and skin
to areas of maximum activity e.g.
skeletal muscles.
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