1) Autonomic effects in skin

and gastrointestinal tract

2) Sensory components in the
autonomic system
pupillary size
bladder control

Skin innervation
Sweat glands
piloerector muscles
arterioles

Skin innervation
Sweat glands
piloerector muscles
arterioles
skin blood flow can
reach 6 to 8 L/min
during hyperthermia

there are also lots of

sensory and motor nerves
in skin

Sweat Glands
stimulated by
the sympathetic
system

Two types of sweat glands:

Eccrine sweat glands
greatest number (2,000,000 - 5,000,000)
terminate in a pore
cooling the body
found everywhere on the body except the lips
and most of the penis
greatest accumulation on the palms.

Apocrine sweat glands

open into hair follicles
typically larger than eccrine glands and
are more developed in women
greatest number in the pubic region and armpits
become active at puberty
when an apocrine gland secretes sweat,
some of its cells disintegrate, come out and,
depending on the amount and type of bacteria
it produces, carries an odor that is characteristic
of perspiration.
possible function scent glands
(chemical communication)

Eccrine sweat glands

Apocrine sweat glands

Samemag.

Enteric Nervous System

controls the gastrointestinal system

beef intestine sashimi

Third division of the autonomic nervous system

Sympathetic
Parasympathetic
Enteric

Enteric division
minimal connections to the rest of the nervous system
sensory neurons, interneurons and motor neurons in the
gastrointestinal tract
80-100 million neurons (~ same as spinal cord)
mediates digestive reflexes
Sensory nerve cells are
Responsive to:
stretch in gut wall
chemical signals
Motor neurons affect
smooth muscle of the gut
arterioles
secretion by the mucosa

Enteric division
Two major plexuses of nerve cells
1) Myenteric plexus between longitudinal and circular smooth
muscle layers concerned with motility
2) Submucous plexus between circular muscle layer and mucosa
concerned with secretory functions

(connective tissue)

Mucosa

Peristalsis waves of slow contractions along the intestines that move

contents towards the toilet
Controlled by the enteric system
Triggered by stretch receptors in the walls of the intestines
1) excitatory motor neurons in outer plexus have axons that project
toward mouth end when stretched, they excite upstream
circular muscle (squeezes food downstream)
2) inhibitory motor neurons in outer plexus have axons that project
toward anus end - when stretched, they relax downstream
circular muscle

Inputs from the sympathetic and

parasympathetic divisions
can override local control
sympathetic
NE inhibits via alpha adrenergic
receptors, constricts arterioles,
inhibits activity between
enteric nerve cells,
suppresses secretions

parasympathetic
ACh general up-regulation
general excitability, but local
circuits still run the show

Sensory inputs in
sympathetic and
parasympathetic
nerves

So far we have focused

on motor outputs of
the sympathetic and
parasympathetic
systems.
But, sympathetic and
parasympathetic
systems also include
sensory neurons.
And sensory inputs
from other systems
send branches to the
autonomic ganglia.
Lots of autonomic function
takes place in local circuits (not reaching the cortex)

Sensory inputs in sympathetic and

parasympathetic nerves
Example
somatosensory inputs:
local injury chemicals
activate sensory cells
sympathetic inputs
constrict local small arteries
and arterioles to reduce
bleeding
(big bleeding full blown
sympathetic effects on
cardiovascular function)

Example of Sensory Information from other systems:

Information from the
chest and abdominal
cavities travels via the
vagus nerve (X cranial),
(including from
baroreceptors) to the
solitary nucleus
(nucleus tractus solitarius)

Also, information about

taste travels
via the vagus (X),
glossopharyngeal (IX),
and facial (VII) nerves
to the solitary nucleus

Remember that the

vagus nerve also
supplies parasympathetic
output to many organs

III
VII
IX
X

There are three main outputs

from the solitary nucleus that
can be activated by sensory
inputs

1) Some cells in the solitary

nucleus project to
preganglionic parasympathetic
neurons via the vagus nerve that
affect lung inflation and gut
motility.
2) Other cells project to the
reticular formation in the brain
and affect cardiovascular function,
vomiting, respiratory rhythm.
3) Others project upstream and
are involved in coordinating
bladder, bowel and genital
activities.

Another Example - Sensory inputs for ocular reflexes

Pupil size response
to light
Dilation
sympathetic
superior cervical ganglion
pupillodilator muscle
of the iris (radial muscle)
Constriction
parasympathetic
III cranial nerve
circular muscle fibers
of the iris
Usually a balance which
is appropriate for brightness,
but when a person is excited
sympathetic takes over and pupils dilate

Sensory inputs for ocular reflexes

Pupil size in response
to light
Dilation
sympathetic
superior cervical ganglion
pupillodilator muscle
of the iris (radial)
Constriction
parasympathetic
III cranial nerve
circular muscle fibers
of the iris
Usually a balance which
is appropriate for brightness,
but when a person is excited
sympathetic takes over and pupils dilate

Visual pathway for object vision

Visual pathways for pupillary reflexes

sensory input to the pretectal nucleus
pretectal to IIIrd cranial (parasympathetic)
( circular muscle, constriction)
pretectal to preganglionic sympathetic
(radial muscle dilation)

Parasympathetic

note how close the parasympathetic ganglion is to the target

Recall: ACh is the main transmitter in preganglionic autonomic neurons

And in post-ganglionic Parasympathetic neurons

Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade)

BlocksAChreceptors(parasympathetic)
Theiriscannotconstrict
(pluslotsofotherproblems!)
Atropine,anextractofBelladonna,is
usedbyeyedoctorstodilatethepupil
forretinalexam(localapplication)

musclesrelax

Glandular reflexes are also controlled

by the autonomic system
Lacrimal (tear), nasal (snot), gastrointestinal,
and sweat
(also ear wax and breast milk from modified
sweat glands)
Gastrointestinal
biggest parasympathetic effects are at the mouth (salivary) and stomach
(day-to-day running of the lower parts is mostly controlled by
the enteric system)
Salivary glands also get input from sympathetic inputs:
parasympathetic stimulates watery saliva
sympathetic stimulates more viscous saliva (cotton mouth)
General rule is that sympathetic stimulation reduces glandular secretion
What is the exception ?

Bladder reflexes:
Unusual because bladder control involves
both autonomic and
somatic (voluntary)
control

smooth muscle wall

inner sphincter
(ring of smooth muscle)
outer sphincter
(skeletal muscle)

Parasympathetic:
Bladder contraction Stretch receptors in
bladder wall project to
the parasympathetic
ganglion in the bladder
wall postganglionic
cells stimulate smooth
muscle of walls to contract
(this is the main mechanism in
babies)

Parasympathetic:
Muscarinic Ach
receptors
contract bladder
But simultameously
relax inner sphincter
(how can there be
opposite effects?)

Sympathetic:
Pathway from lumbar
spinal cord to inferior
mesenteric ganglion
Functions in filling
Bladder relaxation and
Internal sphincter contraction

Sympathetic:
Beta 2 receptors
relax
Alpha receptors
contract

Somatic:
Control of external
sphincter (skeletal
muscle)

Barringtons nucleus
in the brainstem:
coordinates peeing
Gets inputs from
stretch receptors in bladder walls
and from forebrain
Outputs
inhibit sympathetic
relax inner sphincter
inhibit somatic
relax outer sphincter
Urine flow through the urethra
stimulates parasympathetic
reflex to contract bladder walls

ACh is the main transmitter in preganglionic autonomic neurons

Sensory fibers send collaterals to ganglia

Neuropeptide transmitters
Substance P
Long lasting effects (seconds)
Can sensitize or desensitize postganglionic cells
sensory fiber to spinal cord

Neuropeptide transmitters
Also co-released by both preganglionic and post ganglionic nerves

Can sensitize or desensitize the entire pathway