The autonomic nervous system for Purbanchal University third semester Bachelor of Pharmacy

1. Biswash Sapkota (M.Pharm) (B.Pharm)
Lecturer, Madan Bhandari Academy of
Health Sciences
Autonomic Nervous system

3.  The autonomic nervous system is anatomically a
portion of both the central and peripheral nervous
system.
 Component of autonomic nervous system are located
in both the CNS and PNS, however the ANS is
considered to be part of efferent division of PNS even
though visceral afferent neurons are certainly an
important part of system
 Many neurons of ANS travel in the spinal nerves and
certain cranial nerves
 Peripheral autonomic nerves carry mainly efferent
fibers
 ANS is a functionally specialized subsystem of CNS
 The motor component of ANS is a two neuron system
consisting of preganglionic neurons (myelinated) and
postganglionic neurons (unmyelinated), whereas

4.  ANS control the function of body carried automaticity
 Hypothalamus is the highest and main regulatory
center of ANS
 ANS controls mainly cardiac and smooth muscle and
various glands
 Divided into two parts:
 Sympathetic nervous system and
 Parasympathetic nervous system
• The both system work in opposite to each other to
maintain the normal organ functions
• Symapthetic system is activated in stressful situation
while para sympathetic acts during rest
• Parasympathetic fibres do not spread an extensively
through the body as do sympathetic fibres but
innervate some of thoracic and abdominal organs as
well as papilary spinchter, ciliary muscle of eyes and
salivary glands

6. The Sympathetic Nervous System :
 Thoraco lumbar in origin: Originate in neurons in
lateral horns of grey matter in spinal cord
between the 1st thoracic cord and 2nd lumbar
segment.
 Nerve fiber passes by way of the anterior spinal
roots first into the spinal nerves and then branch
immediately into sympathetic chain. From here,
fibres pathway are transmitted to all portions of
body, especially to the different visceral organs
and to the blood vessels .

7. Parasympathetic nervous system :
 Cranio sacral in origin : The parasympathetic
fibres pass mainly through vagus nerves and
through the anterior root of sacral segments (2-4)
of spinal cord.
 Originated from III, VII, IX and X cranial nerves

10. Neurotransmitter
 Acetylecholine
 Catacholamine
 Serotonin
 Glutamate
 Aspartate
 GABA


11. Basic characteristics of Sympathetic
and Parasympathetic
Cholinergic and adrenergic fibers secretion of
Acetylcholine or norepinephrine
• The sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve
fibers secrete mainly one or the two synaptic
transmitter substances, acetylcholine or
norepinephrine.
• Those fibres that secrete Ach are said to be
cholinergic
• Those fibres that secrete norepinephrine are said
to be adrenergic .
• All preganglionic neurons are cholinergic in both
the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous

12.  Either all or almost all postganglionic neurons of
parasympathetic system are cholinergic
 Conversely, most of the postganglionic
sympathetic neurons are adrenergic. However ,
the postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibres to the
sweat glands, to piloerector muscles of hairs and
to the very few blood vessels are cholinergic .
 Thus the terminal nerve endings of
parasympathetic system all or virtually secrete
acetylcholine.
 Almost all of the sympathetic nerve endings
secrets norepinerphrine, few secrete
acetylcholine that excite most of visceral
structures (heart and blood vessels) but inhibit
GIT
 These neurotransmitter in turn act on different

13. Principal types of Acetylcholine
Receptors
 Muscarinic and Nicotinic receptors:
Ach activates mainly two types of receptors they
are called muscarinic and nicotinic receptors.

16. Neuro Humoral Transmission in ANS
 See CNS slides….