Autonomic nervous system
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
• autonomic nervous system participates in
innervation of the visceral part of human body,
it controls autonomic functions, which take
place independently of our will
• It is influenced by cerebral cortex, limbic
system and hypothalamus
• It makes innervation of visceral organs and
vessels, of smooth muscle, myocardium and
glands
• There is inserted one another neuron into
visceromotoric pathways, the neuron is
located in autonomic ganglias
• preganglionic and postganglionic fibers
• enteric system –separate part
Types of stimuli
• Nuclei within CNS  visceromotor fibers – through
anterior roots of spinal cord  autonomic ganglia along
the spine – to the organs of abdomen, thorax, pelvis
• Free nerve endings in the wall of organs pressure,
thrust, pain- viscerosensory  autonomic ggl.- to
posterior roots of spinal cord - ggl. spinale or ggl. VII., IX.,
X. and into visceromotor nuclei
• Autonomic tracts don´t go from CNS directly – they switch
over in ganglia outside CNS
• They are formed at least by two neurons, which switch over in
so-called autonomic ganglion
• Preganglionic neuron : myelinated axon that goes from CNS
to autonomic ganglion
• Postganglionic neuron: unmyelinated axon that goes from
autonomic ganglion as a proper autonomic nerve
• autonomic (visceromotor) nerve fibers are of two types
sympathetic pars sympathica
parasympathetic pars parasympathica
• Glands and smooth muscle of almost each visceral
organ are innervated by both sympathetic and
parasympathetic
• One system is usually activating and the other
inhibiting
• Exception are smooth muscle of the skin and skin
glands, which are innervated only by sympathetic
Main functions
• Contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle
• Function of all exocrine and some endocrine glands
• Hearth rhytm
• Some metabolic processes
Division of autonomic nerve system
• sympathetic – fight or flight
• parasympathetic – rest or
digest
• enteric system
Parasympathetic
rest or digest
Sympathetic
fight or flight
craniosacral system (parasympathetic)
thoracolumbar system (sympathetic)
cranio-sacral system (parasympathetic)
Pars sympathica: nuclei in CNS and in the spinal cord (C8 –
L3)
Pars parasympathica: nuclei in CNS (which belong to the
cranial nerves), spinal cord (S2 – S4)
Sympathetic and parasympathetic system differ in the
arrangement of ganglia:
Sympathetic ganglia:
• are far from target organs (at spine) – paravertebral ganglia –
truncus sympathicus dexter et sinister
Parasympathetic ganglia:
• closer to organs (ganglion ciliare, pterygopalatinum, oticum,
submandibulare + scattered within organ walls)
Mediators of sympathetic and parasympathetic system:
• preganglionic – the same (from CNS) – acetylcholine
• postganglionic - sympathetic – noradrenalin
• postganglionic - parasympathetic - acetylcholine
„thoracolumbar system“
• It controls the catabolic functions, activates
functions of the visceral organs
- it accelerates the heart activity and breathing
- It causes contraction of smooth muscle of
vessels within the skin and visceral organs and
thereby increases blood pressure
- It increases level of sugar in blood
- It expands pupils (mydriasis)
- It conversely slows digestion
- It induces a state of wakefulness ans it is used
in stress reactions
Functions
• Central part: ncll. hypothalamici medii, nucl.
intermediolateralis C8-L3- known as
thoracolumbar system
• it arises from spinal nerve as ramus
communicans albus – it ends in sympathetic
ganglion next to the backbone – preganglionic
section- into paravertebral ggl.
• individual paravertebral ganglions form truncus
sympathicus – perifepheral section
• from ganglions arise proper sympathetic
nerves- postganglionic section
• Sympathetic nerves enter (directly or via
plexuses inside wall of big arteries) the
innervated organs
Truncus sympathicus
• ganglion trunci sympathici (21-25) = paravertebral ganglia
• rr. intergaglionares
• rr. communicantes albus + griseus
• rr. vasculares – periarterial plexuses
• rr. viscerales=nn. splanchnici - to prevertebral ganglia
Cervical part
Thoracic part
Abdominal part
Pelvic part
Ganglion cervicale superius
Ganglion cervicale medium
Ganglion cervicothoracicum /
stellatum
- It forms periarterial
plexuses around a. carotis
ext. et int. – intake of
sympathicus to neck and
head
- nn. cardiaci – innervation
of the heart
Cervical part
Ganglia thoracica (thoracic part)
• 10 pairs of ganglia
• nn. splanchnici – for smooth muscle of GIT and its vessels
• rr. communicantes grisei - to intercostal nerves
• Branches to heart, lungs, esophagus
Ganglia lumbalia (lumbar, abdominal part)
• 4-5 pairs of ganglia
• rr. communicantes grisei
• nn. splanchnici lumbales
• rr. vasculares
Ganglia sacralia (pelvic part)
• 4 pairs of ganglia
• rr. communicantes grisei – for pelvic organs
• Periarterial plexuses
PARASYMPATHETIC
• pars cranialis: most important is parasympathetic part of
nervus vagus – it innervates the digestive tract till the border
between colon transversum and colon descendens in the
abdominal cavity
• pars sacralis: it innervates the digestive tract from the border
between colon transversum and colon descendens till rectum
and visceral organs located in the pelvis (urinary bladder,
genital organs except gonads)
Functions
It controls anabolic reactions – preservation of energy, it induces
inhibition of organism:
- It slows heart activity and breathing
- It decreases blood pressure
- It narrows pupils (miosis)
- It accelerates digestion, sweating and salivation
- It is used especially ar rest (slep) and during digestion
• pars cranialis- III.,VII.,IX.,X. (cranial parasympathetic)
• pars sacralis S2-S4 (sacral parasympathetic) - craniosacral
system - ganglia are located close to the innervated organs,
preganglionic section is therefore long and postganglionic
section is short
• mediator is acetylcholin in whole section - cholinergic system
Cranial parasympathetic
• Nuclei of cranial nerves:
ncl. oculomotorius accessorius to ganglion ciliare
(m. sphincter pupilae, m. ciliaris)
ncl. salivatorius superior (VII.) to ganglion
pterygopalatinum and submandibulare (lacrimal
gland, mucosa of nasal cavity, palate, tongue, gl.
sublingualis and submandibularis)
ncl. salivatorius inferior (IX.) to ganglion oticum
(glandula parotis and small salivatory glands of
cheek)
ncl. dorsalis n. X (together with n. vagus to organs)
Caudal elongation of ncl. intermediolateralis
S2-5 (pars sacralis, pelvica) – to pelvic organs
(terminal part of large intestine, rectum, urinary
bladder, inner genital organs except
sexualglands)
nn. splanchnici pelvici
Sacral parasympathetic
Ganglion ciliare
• Here end preganglionic fibers of n.oculomotorius
• parasympathetic (m. sphincter pupillae, m. ciliaris)
sympathetic (m. dilatator pupillae)
Ganglion pterygopalatinum
• Here end preganglionic fibers of n.facialis
• Mucosa of posterior part of nasal cavity, upper teeth, mucosa of
hard palate, lacrimal gland
Ganglion submandibulare
• Here end preganglionic fibers of n.facialis
• gl. sublingualis, gl. submandibularis, salivary glands of tongue
and botoom of oral cavity
Ganglion oticum
• Here end preganglionic fibers of n.glossopharyngeus
• skin, mucosa, teeth and gingiva of lower jaw, gl. parotidea
Preganglionic fibers of n. vagus end in prevertebral ganglia of
thoracic and abdominal cavity
Preganglionic fibers of sacral parasympathetic are switched
over in pelvic plexuses
Mixed autonomic (prevertebral) plexuses
1) Mixed plexuses of thorax
-plexus cardiacus
-plexus aorticus thoracicus
-plexus pulmonalis
-plexus oesophageus
2) Mixed plexuses of abdomen and pelvis
-plexus aorticus abdominalis: plexus coeliacus,
plexus renalis et suprarenalis, plexus testicularis
(ovaricus), plexus uretericus, plexuses around vessels
-plexus hypogastricus superior: plexus rectales,
plexus vesicales, plexus prostaticus,
plexus deferentialis, plexus uterovaginalis
Enteric system
• In the wall of digestive tract
• plexus submucosus
• plexus myentericus
• Separate and independent of
connection with sympathetic
and parasympathetic
• It works also after interruption
of connections with ANS
• It controls tension and mobility
of digestive tract, it regulates
secretion of all glands and
blood flow
• innervation and regulation of
function of gall bladder and
pancreas
The neural tracts
tractus nervosi
THE SENSORY TRACTS
• receptor→CNS
• A) specific:specific information
• B) nonspecific: through interneurons, general
information, preparation of CNS for income of
specific information
• 1th neuron: pseudounipolar cell of spinal ganglion
(ganglion of cranial nerves)
→(cerebellum)→thalamus→cortex
• SOMATOSENSORY TRACTS: protopathic sensibility
epicritic sensibility
proprioception
• VISCEROSENSORY TRACTS
• Protopathic sensibility: tactile information
(warmth, cold, pressure, pain, rough skin
sensibility)
1) Limbs and trunk: tractus spino-thalamo-
corticalis
1st Pseudounipolar neuron of spinal ganglion→2nd
nucleus proprius→3rd thalamus →cortex (gyrus
postcentralis, area 1, 2, 3)
2) Head area: tractus trigemino-thalamo-corticalis
1st Pseudounipolar neurons of sensory ganglia of
CN (V., VII., IX., X.) → 2nd nucleus tractus spinalis
(V.) → 3rd thalamus→cortex
• Epicritic sensibility: discriminatory sensation
(tactile resolution of shape of object etc.)
1) Limbs and trunk: tractus spino-bulbo-thalamo-
corticalis
1st Pseudounipolar neuron of spinal
ganglion→fasciculus gracilis, fasciculus
cuneatus → 2nd nucleus gracilis, cuneatus
medialis→ 3rd thalamus →cortex (gyrus
postcentralis, area 1, 2, 3)
2) Head area: tractus trigemino-thalamo-corticalis
1st Pseudounipolar neurons od sensory ganglia of
CN (V., VII., IX., X.) → 2nd nucleus principalis (V.)
→ 3rd thalamus→cortex
• Proprioception: from the locomotor system to the
cerebellum
1) LL and trunk: 1st Pseudounipolar neuron od
spinal ganglion→ 2nd nucleus thoracicus→ 3rd
cerebellum →4th thalamus → cortex
2) UL: 1st Pseudounipolar neuron of spinal
ganglion →fasciculus cuneatus → 2nd nucleus
cuneatus lateralis → 3rd cerebellum → 4th
thalamus→cortex
3) Head area: tractus trigemino-thalamo-
corticalis
1st Pseudounipolar neurons of nucleus
mesencephalicus nervi V. → 2nd cerebellum
→ 3rd thalamus→cortex
• VISCEROSENSORY TRACTS
1st Pseudounipolar neuron of spinal
ganglion→ 2nd nucleus
intermediomedialis
→ nucleus intermediolateralis
→ FR →thalamus →cortex
MOTOR TRACTS
• Set of all neural tracts, which are are connected into the
regulation of movement. To them belong pyramidal and
extrapyramidal tracts.
PYRAMIDAL TRACTS (direct)
• projection direct motor tracts of voluntary movement
• They interconnect motor cortex of hemisphere with
motoneurons of anterior spinal horns and with
motoneurons of nuclei of cranial nerves
• It is only one-neuron way
• They start in primary motor cortex, to them belong
tractus cortico-spinalis (tract of voluntary movement
of trunk and limbs) and tractus cortico-nuclearis
(tract of voluntary movement of striated muscles of
the head ).
EXTRAPYRAMIDAL TRACTS
(indirect)
• Control of involuntary movement
• Projection extrapyramidal tracts (connect motor cortex of
hemisphere with motoneurons of anterior spinal horns; they
are switched over in motor nuclei of brainstem)
• Connections of (motor) basal ganglia (BG are interconnected
with each other and with other motor structures of brain
(e.g. motor cortex and motor parts of thalamus)
• Tracts of cerebellum
• They further interconnect motor nuclei of thalamus, RF and e.g.
nucleus ruber, substantia nigra etc.
• Association tracts:
• The same hemisphere: fibrae arcuatae, fasciculus longitudinalis
superior, et inferior, fasciculus uncinatus, fasciculus arcuatus
• Commissural tracts:
• Right and left side of CNS: commissura anterior et posterior,
commissura fornicis, corpus callosum
Obrázky:
• Atlas der Anatomie des Menschen/Sobotta. Putz,R., und
Pabst,R. 20. Auflage. München:Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1993
• Netter: Interactive Atlas of Human Anatomy.
• Naňka, Elišková: Přehled anatomie. Galén, Praha 2009.
• Čihák: Anatomie I, II, III.
• Drake et al: Gray´s Anatomy for Students. 2010