Peripheral Nervous System

Place of the PNS in the structural organization of the nervous system

CNS

PNS

Sensory division Motor division

Sympathetic
division Autonomic Somatic
nervous nervous
Parasympathetic system system
division

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Structure of a nerve

Axon
Blood vessels Perineurium Myelin sheath

Endoneurium

Perineurium

Epineurium

Fascicle
Fascicle

Blood
vessels

Endoneurium Nerve fibers

(a)

(b)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
Spinal Nerves and Nerve Plexuses
Characteristics:
Somatic sensation (conscious) and somatic motor control (voluntary
control) of skeletal muscles.
Includes cranial nerves: I, II, IV-VI, VIII, XI and XII.
Spinal nerves: 31
Cervical: 8 (above C1, and below C1-C7)
Thoracic: 12 (below T1-T12)
Lumbar: 5 (below T1-T5)
Sacral: 5 ( below S1-S5)
Coccygeal: 1 exit coccyx
Mixed nerves
Sensory
Motor
Dorsal and ventral rami (nerve branches) plexuses (network of nerves)
 Distribution of spinal nerves

Cervical plexus
Cervical
nerves
Brachial plexus C1 C8

Cervical
enlargement

Intercostal Thoracic
nerves nerves
T1 T12

Lumbar
enlargement

Lumbar plexus Lumbar

nerves
L1 L5

Sacral plexus
Sacral
nerves
S1 S5

Cauda equina
Coccygeal
nerve
C0

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Formation of spinal nerves and rami distribution

Dorsal ramus
Ventral ramus
Spinal nerve
Intercostal nerve
Rami communicantes
Dorsal root ganglion
Ventral root
Sympathetic trunk
(chain) ganglion
Dorsal root

Thoracic cavity
Lateral cutaneous
Branches of
Anterior cutaneous intercostal
nerve
Sternum
(b)
 The cervical plexus
Key:

= Ventral
rami

Segmental
branches
Hypoglossal
nerve (XII)
Ventral
Lesser occipital rami:
nerve
C1
Greater auricular
nerve C2

Transverse cutaneous C3
nerve
Ansa cervicalis
C4
Accessory nerve (XI)

Phrenic nerve C5

Supraclavicular
nerves
 The brachial plexus

Roots:
Key: C4
Dorsal scapular
= Roots C5
Nerve to
= Trunks subclavius
C6
Suprascapular
Upper
= Anterior C7
Posterior
division
divisions Middle Trunks
= Posterior
division Lateral C8
Lower

Cords Posterior T1
Long thoracic

Medial Medial pectoral

Lateral pectoral
Axillary
Upper subscapular
Musculo-
cutaneous Lower subscapular
Thoracodorsal
Radial
Medial cutaneous
Median
nerves of the arm
(a) Ulnar and forearm
 The brachial plexus

Trunks

Humerus
Radial
nerve
Musculo-
cutaneous
nerve
Ulna
Radius
Ulnar nerve
Median
nerve
Radial nerve
(superficial
branch)
Dorsal branch
of ulnar nerve
Superficial branch
of ulnar nerve
Digital branch
of ulnar nerve
Muscular
branch Median
Digital nerve
branch
(c)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 The lumbar plexus

Ventral
rami:
L1
Iliohypogastric
Ilioinguinal
L2
Iliohypogastric Femoral
Ilioinguinal Lateral
femoral
Genitofemoral L3 cutaneous

Obturator

Lateral femoral Anterior

L4 femoral
cutaneous
cutaneous
Saphenous
Obturator
L5
Femoral
Lumbosacral
trunk
(a)

Key:
= Ventral rami

(b)
Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,
by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 The sacral plexus

Ventral
rami:
L4
Superior Superior
gluteal gluteal
L5 Inferior
Lumbosacral gluteal
trunk Pudendal
S1 Sciatic
Inferior
gluteal
Posterior
Common S2 femoral
fibular cutaneous
Tibial Common
S3 fibular
Posterior
femoral Tibial
cutaneous S4
Sural
Pudendal Deep
S5
fibular
Sciatic C0 Superficial
fibular
(a)

Key: Plantar
branches
= Ventral rami
(b)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Activity 2
Identify spinal chord tracts
Activity 3
Identify Major nerve plexuses and Peripheral
nerves
The Autonomic Nervous System
(ANS)
 Place of the ANS in the structural organization of the nervous system

CNS

PNS

Sensory division Motor division

Sympathetic
division Autonomic Somatic
nervous nervous
Parasympathetic system system
division

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Characteristics of the ANS
Regulates body function unconsciously.
Cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, glands.
Consists of chains of 2 motor neurons.
Preganglion neuron: located in the CNS.
Ganglion neuron: synapses with pregalnglion, outside
the CNS and its axon synapses with the effector
organ.
Sympathetic (fight or flight) functions are
antagonistic to the Parasympathetic (resting and
digesting) functions.
 Comparison of somatic and autonomic nervous systems

Central
nervous system Peripheral nervous system Effector organs

Acetylcholine

Somatic nervous system Skeletal muscle

Acetylcholine Norepinephrine

Smooth
muscle
Sympathetic Ganglion (e.g., in
division Acetylcholine Epinephrine and gut)
Autonomic norepinephrine
nervous Blood Glands
system vessel
Adrenal medulla
Acetylcholine Cardiac
Para- muscle
sympathetic
division
Ganglion

Key:

= Preganglionic axons = Postganglionic axons = Myelination = Preganglionic axons = Postganglionic axons

(sympathetic) (sympathetic) (parasympathetic) (parasympathetic)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Overview of the subdivisions of the ANS

Parasympathetic Sympathetic
Eye Eye
Brain stem
Salivary Skin*
glands Cranial
Salivary
Sympathetic glands
Heart ganglia
Cervical

Lungs Lungs
T1
Heart
Stomach
Thoracic
Stomach Pancreas

Liver
Pancreas and gall-
L1 bladder

Liver and Adrenal

gall- Lumbar gland
bladder

Bladder
Bladder
Genitals
Genitals Sacral

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Parasympathetic (craniosacral) division of the ANS

Eye
CN III Lacrimal
CN VII gland
CN IX Nasal
CN X mucosa
III: Oculomotor Ciliary ganglion Submandibular
and sublingual
VII: Facial Pterygopalatine glands
IX: Glossopharyngeal ganglion Parotid gland
X: Vagus Submandibular
ganglion Heart
Cardiac and
Otic ganglion pulmonary
plexuses Lung

Liver and
gallbladder
Celiac
plexus
Stomach

S2 Pancreas
S4
Large
Pelvic intestine
splanchnic Small
nerves intestine

Inferior
hypogastric Rectum
plexus
Urinary bladder
and ureters
Genitalia (penis, clitoris, and vagina)
Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,
by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Characteristics of the
Parasympathetic Division
Preganglion axons are located in the cranial
nerves in the immediate area to be stimulated.
Terminal or intramural ganglion, which emits a
short axon to the organ, synapse with the
preganglion ganglion.
Sacral region ganglions synapse to pelvic
splanchnic nerves that travel to the pelvic cavity.
 Sympathetic (thoracolumbar) division of the ANS
Eye Lacrimal
gland
Nasal
Sympathetic trunk mucosa
Midbrain Superior (chain) ganglia
cervical
Pons ganglion Blood vessels; skin (arrector pili
Medulla Middle muscles and sweat glands)
cervical Salivary glands
ganglion
Heart
Inferior
cervical
ganglion Cardiac and pulmonary Lung
T1
plexuses
Greater splanchnic nerve
Lesser splanchnic nerve Liver
and gall-
bladder
Celiac ganglion
Stomach
L2
Superior
White rami mesenteric Spleen
communicantes ganglion
Adrenal gland
Aortic Kidney
plexus
on aorta
Lumbar Small
Inferior intestine
splanchnic nerves
mesenteric
ganglion Large
intestine
Rectum
Sympathetic Inferior
division hypogastric
(thoracolumbar) plexus Genitalia (uterus, vagina, and
penis) and urinary bladder
Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,
by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Characteristics of the Sympathetic
Division
Preganglion are located in the lateral ramus of the spinal chord
T1 L2. Axon leaves the chord via ventral root the spinal nerve
the ventral ramus white ramus communicans
paravertrebral ganglion in the sympathetic chain.
Preganglion axon may:
Synapse with a same level sympathetic ganglion chain neuron.
Travel up or downward through the sympathetic chain in the paravertebral
region to another ganglion.
(Postganglionic reenter spinal nerve through gray ramus communicans to
travel in dorsal or ventral ramus to innervate organs).
Skip the ganglion and form part of the splanchnic nerves, which travele to
the organ to synapse with prevertebral or collateral ganglion.
Celiac, superior mesenteric, inferior mesenteric, hypogastric ganglia.
 Sympathetic trunks and pathways

Spinal cord Dorsal root

Ventral root Dorsal white
Sympathetic column
Sympathetic trunk
trunk ganglion (chain) ganglion
Body of a Lateral horn
vertebra (visceral motor zone)
Dorsal root ganglion
Sympathetic trunk
Thoracic Ventral ramus
splanchnic of spinal nerve
nerves Gray ramus
communicans
Intercostal nerve
Intercostal muscle White ramus 2
of thorax Rib communicans
(a) Ventral root
Dorsal ramus 3
of spinal nerve 2

1
1
1.Synapse in Splanchnic
paravertebal region at nerve
the same level
2. Synapse in chain Blood vessels
Collateral
ganglion at different (prevertebral) ganglion 3
level such as the celiac
Skin (arrector To effector
3. Synapse in pili muscles
prevertebral region Target organ
and sweat
anterior to vertebral (in abdomen)
glands)
column (b)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Activity 4
Locate the ANS chains in the models.
 Human Reflex Physiology
Definition:
Rapid, predictable and involuntary motor
response to stimuli through pathways called
reflex arcs.
Two systems
Autonomic reflexes (unconscious): digestion,
sweating etc.
Somatic reflexes: activate skeletal muscles.
 Hierarchy of motor control

Interactions Control level Structures involved

Programs and instructions Highest (precommand)

(modified by feedback)
Cerebellum and basal nuclei

Internal
Feedback feedback

Projection areas Middle

Motor cortex (pyramidal system)
and brain stem nuclei (vestibular,
red, reticular formation, etc.)

Segmental motor
controls (CPG) Lowest
Spinal cord

Sensory Reflex activity Motor

CNG: central pattern
input output generator

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 The basic components of all human reflex arcs

Spinal cord (in cross section)

Stimulus
2 Sensory neuron 3 Integration center
1 Receptor
Skin 4 Motor neuron Interneuron
5 Effector

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 The reflex arc
Characteristics: Structurally (number of neurons
involved)
Monosynaptic arc: one synapse
Polysynaptic arc: one or more association neurons.
Somatic Reflexes (skeletal muscle effectors)
Stretch reflexes: Postural and locomotion reflexes.
Muscle spindle stimuli/Golgi organ in tendons
(stretching) initiates reflex.
Reciprocal inhibition: antagonistic efferent
muscles are relaxed (damped).
Patellar reflex (activity 1).
 The stretch reflex

Interneuron
Cell body of
1 Afferent impulses sensory neuron
from stretch
receptor to Motor neuron
spinal cord serving quadriceps

2 Efferent Motor neuron

impulses to serving antagonist
alpha (a) motor muscle group
neurons cause (hamstrings)
Initial contraction Spinal cord
stimulus: of the stretched (L2L4)
muscle muscle that
stretch resists/reverses
the stretch Muscle
Patella spindle
Quadriceps
Muscle (extensors)
spindle

Patellar
ligament Hamstrings
3 Efferent impulses
to antagonist (flexors)
muscles are
damped Key:
(reciprocal + Excitatory synapse
inhibition) Inhibitory synapse
(a)
(b)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 The Golgi tendon reflex

Golgi
tendon
Quadriceps organ
(extensor)
Hamstrings
(flexor)

Spinal cord

Interneurons

+
+ Afferent fiber
from Golgi
tendon organ
Efferent fiber
+
to muscle
associated
with stretched
tendon
Key: Efferent fiber
+ Excitatory synapse to antagonistic
Inhibitory synapse muscle

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Operation of the muscle spindle

Muscle
spindle
Intrafusal
muscle fiber

Primary
sensory (la)
nerve fiber
Extrafusal
muscle fiber

Time Time Time Time

(a) Unstretched (b) Stretched muscle; (c) a Motor neuron (d) a - g Neuron
muscle; AP frequency stimulation only; no coactivation;
AP frequency increased APs, unable to signal AP frequency
constant length changes constant
AP: Action Potential

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Anatomy of the muscle spindle and Golgi tendon organ

g Efferent motor fiber to spindle

Secondary
sensory
endings a Efferent
(type II fiber) motor fiber
to extrafusal
Primary muscle
sensory fibers
endings
(type Ia fiber) Extrafusal
muscle
Muscle spindle fiber
Intrafusal
muscle
Connective fibers
tissue capsule

Sensory
Capsule fiber
Tendon
Golgi tendon
organ

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Somatic Reflexes
Crossed extensor reflex: Withdrawal reflex,
followed by extension of the opposite limb.
Activity 2?
 The crossed-extensor reflex

+ Interneurons

+

+ +

Efferent
Afferent Efferent fibers
fiber fibers

Extensor
Flexor
inhibited
inhibited
Flexor Arm movements
Extensor
stimulated stimulated

Key:
+ Excitatory synapse Right arm Left arm (site of
Inhibitory synapse (site of stimulus) reciprocal activation)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Somatic Reflexes
Autonomic Reflexes
Pupillary reflexes
Salivary reflex
Reaction time of a reflex
Relative to the myelination of an axon andits
length relative to the interneuron or association
center.
Visual stimulus 150-300 ms.
 Somatic Reflexes
Superficial cord reflex: Abdominal,
cremaster and plantar reflexes.
Plantar reflex. Normal pyramidal activity, toes
flex and move close together. Activity 3.
Cranial nerve reflex: optical (motor) nerves.
Corneal reflex (V). Activity 4
 Autonomic reflexes
Pupillary reflexes.
Cranial nerve II, III.
Actvity 6: Contralateral response, ipsilateral
response.
Ciliospinal reflex. Pupilary.
Salivary reflex. Smooth/skeletal muscles.
 Visceral reflexes

Dorsal
Sensory root Central
receptor in ganglion nervous
viscera
Stimulus system

Visceral
Visceral reflex arc
(sensory)
(Autonomic reflex)
fiber
Postganglionic
axon

Response Visceral
effector Integration center
Ganglionic (may be preganglionic
neuron neuron)

Autonomic Preganglionic axon

ganglion

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Referred pain

Heart
Lungs and
diaphragm
Liver
Gallbladder
Gallbladder Heart

Appendix Liver
Stomach
Pancreas
Small
intestine
Ovaries
Colon
Kidneys
Urinary
bladder
Ureters

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.