ch 15 lecture

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary body functions like heart rate and digestion.

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

Part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for voluntary control of body movements via skeletal muscles.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Composed of the brain and spinal cord; responsible for processing and transmitting information.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Nervous system outside the CNS, consisting of sensory and motor neurons.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of stable internal conditions in an organism.

Sympathetic Nervous System

A division of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for 'fight or flight' responses.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A division of the autonomic nervous system that promotes 'rest and digest' functions.

Preganglionic Neuron

A neuron that transmits signals from the CNS to an autonomic ganglion.

Postganglionic Neuron

A neuron that transmits signals from an autonomic ganglion to an effector.

Dual Innervation

Most body organs receive nerve impulses from both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons.

Cholinergic Neurons

Neurons that release acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter.

Adrenergic Neurons

Neurons that release norepinephrine (noradrenaline) as a neurotransmitter.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A neurotransmitter that mediates synaptic transmission in both the CNS and the PNS.

Norepinephrine (NE)

A neurotransmitter involved in the body’s 'fight or flight' response.

Visceral Effects

Functions regulated by the autonomic nervous system related to internal organs.

Neurotransmitter Chemistry

The study of chemical signaling in the nervous system.

Enteric Nervous System

A complex network of neurons that governs the function of the gastrointestinal system.

Autonomic Reflex Arc

A pathway through which autonomic reflexes occur, involving a receptor, sensory neuron, integrating center, motor neuron, and effector.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)

An enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft.

Sympathetic Trunk Ganglia

Ganglia that run alongside the spinal cord, involved in the sympathetic nervous system.

Craniosacral Division

Another term for the parasympathetic division, referring to its origins in the brain and sacral spinal cord.

Autonomic Plexuses

Tangled networks formed by the sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons in the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis.

Visceral Effectors

Organs that receive autonomic nervous system signals, such as cardiac and smooth muscle, and glands.