Objectives

The • Describe the anatomy of a nerve

• Compare and contrast the somatic and
Peripheral autonomic nervous systems
• Compare and contrast the sympathetic
Nervous and parasympathetic nervous systems
• List and briefly describe homeostatic
System imbalances of the peripheral nervous
system

Nerves and Ganglia

Nerves—parallel bundles of
neuronal processes

• enclosed in CT (epineurium,
perineurium, endoneurium)

• arranged in fascicles

Afferent (sensory) nerves

• composed of only sensory fibers
Efferent (motor) nerves
• composed of only motor fibers
Mixed nerves
• both sensory and motor fibers
Peripheral Nervous System
Somatic system—conscious, voluntary
Autonomic system—unconscious,
involuntary
Both
• have sensory neurons
• have motor neurons
• travel together in the same nerve

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 Cranial Nerves
Peripheral Nerves
• 12 pairs serving
head and neck
• Vagus nerve
Cranial extends to thoracic
and abdominal
Spinal cavities
• Mostly mixed
nerves—some are
sensory or motor

Spinal Nerves Plexus

• weaving of nerves
• Formed by ventral and dorsal roots of
spinal cord • fibers from spinal nerves
intermingle to form new nerves
• 31 pairs of nerves
• All mixed nerves
• Sciatic nerve
–Longest nerve
–Back of legs

Plexuses Autonomic Nervous System

Cervical Head, neck Phrenic
(C1-C5) nerve Involuntary
Smooth muscle, cardiac muscle,
Brachial Arm Ulnar glands
(C5-C8, T1) Nerve
Two motor neurons
Lumbar Hip, thigh Femoral • Preganglionic
(L1-L4) Nerve • Postganglionic
Sacral Leg Sciatic ACh and Norepinephrine
(L4-L5, S1-S4) Nerve

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 Somatic vs. Autonomic
Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic division
• fight or flight
• E system—exercise excitement,
emergency, embarrassment
• increases heart rate, blood pressure,
slows digestive activity
Developmental Aspects
Anencephaly
• failure of cerebrum to form
• no controlled motor function
• no sensory function
Autonomic Nervous System
Parasympathetic division
• housekeeping
• D system—digestion, defecation,
diuresis
• feed and breed
• normal heart rate, respiration, digestive
activity
Developmental Aspects
May be damaged during pregnancy or
at birth
Cerebral palsy
• neuromuscular disability
• lack of oxygen (one cause)
• poor coordination, seizures,
mental retardation
Developmental Aspects
Spina bifida
• incomplete vertebral formation
• particularly lumbar region
• may not cause pathology
• paraplegia, inability to control
bowels or bladder
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 Effects of Aging
Neurons die and are damaged
Hypothalamus matures last • no replacements
• temperature regulation in babies • have extra, but they diminish in number
Neurons amitotic • neural pathways continue to
develop—continue to learn
Myelination and control develops
• anterior to posterior Sympathetic nervous system
less responsive
• medial to lateral
Brain maximum weight in young • orthostatic hypotension
adulthood—steady decline after that

The division of the peripheral nervous system responsible

for taking messages to the central nervous system is the
Arteriosclerosis—poor circulation leads
A. motor division
to deterioration of brain cells
B. sympathetic division
• senility C. autonomic division
• CVA more likely D. sensory division

The division commonly referred to as the ―fight or flight‖

Brain shrinkage occurs system is the

• accelerated in alcoholics and A. somatic division

B. central division
boxers
C. sensory division
D. sympathetic division

The outermost connective tissue covering of a nerve is the

A. epineurium
B. perineurium
C. endoneurium
D. fascicle

The condition of the nervous system caused by incomplete

formation of the vertebrae is
A. cerebral palsy
B. hydrocephalus
C. spina bifida
D. anencephaly