Somatic and Autonomic Nervous System Lecture

Vocabulary-based flashcards covering the somatic and autonomic nervous systems, sensory receptors, and the components of a neurological exam based on lecture notes.

Afferent division

The part of the nervous system that carries sensory information from receptors in periphery tissue and organs.

Efferent division

The part of the nervous system that carries motor commands from the CNS to skeletal muscles, smooth muscles, glands, and adipose tissue.

Somatic motor

The part of the efferent division that specifically carries motor commands from the CNS to skeletal muscles.

Autonomic motor

The part of the efferent division that carries motor commands to smooth muscles, glands, and adipose tissue.

General sense

A modality of the sensory system distributed throughout the body, including temperature, pain, touch, and pressure.

Special sense

Senses where receptors are concentrated in specific sense organs.

Proprioception

A submodality of the sensory system referring to body position.

Visceral sensory

Sensory feelings originating from the organs.

Audition

The special sense modality of hearing.

Gustacion

The special sense modality of Taste.

Sensation

Arriving information at the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Perception

Conscious awareness or a sensation.

Gangalio

A localized cluster of nervecell bodies located outside the CNS that function as vital relay station and processing hubs.

Reflex arc components

The five parts consisting of the Sensory receptor, Sensory neuron, Information processing in CNS, Motor neuron, and Effector.

Somatic reflex

A reflex that controls skeletal muscle contraction, such as superficial reflexes or immediate tendon responses.

Visceral reflexes

Also known as autonomic reflexes, these control effectors like smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, or glands.

Autonomic nervous system

Controls subconscious actions, contractions of smooth and cardiac muscle, and glandular secretion.

Sympathetic division

Also called the thoracolumbar division, it has short preganglionic fibers and increases heart and respiratory rates.

Parasympathetic Division

Known as the Rest, Digest, and Recovery system of the body.

Afferent neuron

A sensory neuron (usually unipolar) with cell bodies grouped in sensory ganglia and fibers extending from the receptor to the CNS.

Efferent neuron

A motor neuron that carries instructions from the CNS to peripheral effectors via efferent fibers.

Nociceptor

A type of general sense receptor that detects pain.

Thermonoreceptors

A type of general sense receptor that detects temperature.

Mechanoreceptors

Senses that detect physical deformation of the receptor.

Osmoreceptors

Sensory receptors that detect solute concentration.

Chemoreceptors

Sensory receptors that detect chemical concentration.

Receptive field

The area monitored by a single receptor cell; localization of a stimulus is more difficult if the field is larger.

Transduction

The conversion of a stimulus into an $AP$ by a sensory receptor.

Mental status exam

A part of the neurological exam that assesses the cerebrum.

Cranial Nerve exam

A part of the neurological exam that assesses the diencephalon and brainstem.

Sensory exam

A part of the neurological exam that assesses the spinal cord and checks the somatic senses.

Motor exam

A part of the neurological exam that assesses the spinal cord, specifically strength and voluntary movement.

Coordination exam

A part of the neurological exam that assesses the cerebellum.

Gait exam

The assessment of walking as part of the neurological evaluation.

Superficial reflex

A type of reflex involving the skin used to check motor pathways.

Deep tendon reflex

A type of reflex used to check motor pathways, typically involving stimulating a tendon.