Paper 3 - The Autonomic System

The Autonomic Institute
Nervous Newsletter
Elizabeth D. Neil
Lakeville, MA
Newsletter July 9, 2007 Volume 1, Issue 3
Autonomic Nervous System

For those of you interested, there is some news from the Autonomic Committee. First, there are a couple of openings for the right workers and second is the announcement of their new meeting schedule. Before we get into that, heres a reminder of what this Committee is all about: Everything they do is done to regulate homeostasis within the body. They work within the department of the Central Nervous System (CNS) to deliver messages to smooth and cardiac muscles and glandular tissues within the body.
Because of their work, many processes are able to occur seamlessly and without conscious effort within glands and organs to maintain order and life function. Examples of the committees work are the tasks of moving blood around the body (circulation), breathing, digestion, some aspects of bladder, bowel and sexual function as well as sweating and temperature control (shivering). Subcommittees have been formed to assist with the regulation of balance. Each committee has different functions that, although seem to work in opposite directions, contribute to the stability of body functions, the coordination of movements and the communication to all parts for sound motion and/or function. Preparation for events within the body is continuous and members must be ready at a moments notice. This continual preparation will be maintained until the end of lifes cycle; therefore, no formal meetings will actually take place. Communication between each subcommittee is vital to the success of the ANS. As such, we are looking for two neurons within the ANS (an efferent pathway) to be responsible for the delivery of messages through a cluster of cell bodies outside the CNS (ganglia). A requirement for one of the First positions is that you must reside in the CNS ( stem from the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spinal cord ) and extend a fiber out to a ganglion ( preganglionic neuron).
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The Second position requires residency in a ganglion and your fiber extends to complete the path by innervating a particular effector tissue (postganglionic neuron). That is to stimulate a nerve, muscle, or body part to action. If anyone is interested in finding out more about the tasks assigned to each of these three committees, we have included a special section in this edition of our newsletter. Those of you interested in joining the ANS as a preganglionic or postganglionic neuron can contact the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), through specific links (neurons) which are located just outside of the Central Nervous system (CNS) at any time. Have you ever heard the terms Fight or Flight? How about Rest and Digest? Well this is where those decisions are made! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the qualified individual(s). Consider becoming part of a truly unique system!
Sympathetic Team
Looking for information on what we do? Youve come to the right place! As part of the ANS we are charged with keeping the body awake and alert. Here is where we take to heart the function of Fight or Flight! There are many agencies that help people prepare for emergencies, but we are the ones that really get close and personal. It is here that the reactions generated by sudden stress occur. Things like making the heart beat faster so that it sends blood more quickly to the different body parts that might need it, causing the adrenal glands at the top of the kidneys to release adrenaline, even slows down digestion. Before you consider joining us, consider everything it takes to be part of our group. Its not an easy job, but every time you come into action ITS A THRILL!!!
First and Second Neurons on our team really start the process off. The First (preganglionic) Neuron can be found in the thoracic and lumbar portions of the spinal cord to extend a fiber out to a ganglion. Communication between this and the Second (post-ganglionic) Neuron occurs at a location called a Synapse (a small gap separating the neurons that hold a presynaptic end containing neurotransmitters, and other cell organelles; a postsynaptic end that contains receptor sites for those neurotransmitters; and a synaptic cleft or space between the presynaptic and postsynaptic ends). It is the job of the First Neuron to get information from the Spinal Cord and send it to the Second Neuron. It in turn gets the information to the target point - either a muscle or a gland. You see the excitement; you feel the rush of energy (by the way the preganglionic neuron uses acetylcholine as its neurotransmitter while the postganglionic neuron takes advantage of norepinephrine although when sweat is released it is acetylcholine that is used by the post-ganglionic neuron), youre part of all that happening!
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Parasympathetic Team
Listen to this! If you are more interested in contributing to a calm and relaxed environment, the Parasympathetic Team is for you! Here is where we prepare the body for rest not stress, calm not chaos. Here is where we try to conserve energy, not use it to focus our attention on productive activities like digestion (by stimulating salivary glands and accelerating peristalsis the contraction of muscles to force food on to an opening), slowing heart rate, constricting pupils, dilating blood vessels, and even
toward the middle of the spinal cord. Another opposite but complimentary work structure is that our groups of ganglion (plexus) are a lot closer to the area of innerveration ( the sympathetic forms immediately lateral and inferior to the spinal nerve). Our team is a little more selective in our use of neurotransmitters. Acetylcholine is the preferred chemical compound to act on receptors of both the pre- and post-ganglionic neurons. The chain of command (22 pairs) here starts in a neuron that has a long axon and synapses with a second neuron near or in the organ targeted. It is our job to bring a sense of well-being to the body, to give it a sense of peace and tranquility. How else is the body to sleep? For many, life lives with the Sympathetic in control, and that is unfortunate. Because parts of our team can be voluntarily controlled, individuals can find stillness within them and allow the balance of excitement and relaxation to be found and maintained. As a warning to those who have pushed us in the corner, it will take work and constant vigilance to overcome our culture of rush not hush. Dont give up the rewards in the end will only bring out the best in both of us. There are times however in times of EXTREME stress that we take over for our partners over on the Sympathetic Team. Our actions can cause fainting to take the entire body system away from the event causing fright; involuntarily defecation or vomiting; or even in remote cases, slow down the heart enough to cause death. Hey, thats definitely not our intent, but in extreme cases, extreme actions must be taken. Overall, we like to see balance and we like to work together.
assisting in the erection of genitals. It is our job to balance the work of the Sympathetic Team and work together to as part of the ANS in maintaining homeostasis. Nothing says togetherness like TEAMWORK! Work begins with the origination of impulses generated in the cranial and sacral regions of the spinal cord unlike the Sympathetic Team that originate inside the vertebral column
Enteric Team
Specialization, thats our game. The complexity of it, the attention to detail, the finite ins and outs, there is so much gong on in the gut that theres a special system to control it. Thats US, the Enteric Team.
To be part of us is to be part of a truly unique system. This is where the nitty-gritty of digestion is in process the actual gastrointestinal mobility (how effectively food and waste products are moved through the system). Oftentimes, we are overlooked but without us, there would be no nutrition and energy to keep the others going. We arent saying that we are the most important; were just saying that were important too! We can be autonomous, but we like to work together with the rest of the ANS, just to make sure things keep working right. Our Team is sometimes called the Brain-Gut because of our autonomy in controlling certain reflexes, complexity from the one billion neurons gathered together in ganglia (myenteric (Auerbach's) and submucosal (Meissner's) plexuses), AND the fact that we can communicate with the CNS by way of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Teams. Our utilization of efferent, afferent, and interneurons allow us to maintain communication without the input of the CNS and our energy comes from not only acetylcholine and norepinephrine and, but other chemical compounds like dopamine, nitric oxide and serotonin.
Stress, now thats an ugly word. It happens to the best of us and each of us has a way of handling it. Here on the Enteric Team we can slow down and even stop digestion (although diarrhea or constipation happens as a result). We dont like to mention it, but you should know there are some things that go wrong here when stress enters the equation. Stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal reflux disease are a few. Hey, what do you want, constant perfection? Aint gonna happen here!
Reminders
Dont think about it too much Use your energy wisely and in
the right places

Remember whos in charge! Involuntary and Emotions
Upcoming Events
Rest and Relaxation Evenings between 10pm and 6am Daily starting at 7am, 12:30pm, and 6:30pm Scare Fest Get ready; SURPRISE! this is going to be a
UUGH! What to do about stress Come see what the ANS is doing about stress. Dont let it get to you, lick it! Meetings Ongoing

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