Question

? What is dual innervation? Be prepared to give an example. How are their nerves and ganglia organized?

Answer 1

1. Dual innervation is the innervation affected by the two nervous systems - Sympathetic and Parasympathetic nervous systems. Both these systems are opposite to each other but they work as synergistic (interaction of two substances to produce combined effect) in the functioning of body's health.

• For example, the two divisions of autonomic nervous system - sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system supplies the heart in which, parasympathetic division slows down the heart rate and the sympathetic innervation increases the heart rate, acting by the process of 'dual innervation'

2. The nerves and ganglia in dual innervation are organized by:

• Autonomic nervous system carried nerve impulses from central nervous system to efferent organs by a type of neurons called "efferent neurons".
• The first nerve cell is the 'preganglionic neuron', located within the central nervous system. It is emerged from spinal cord or brainstem and it makes connections in the ganglia.
• The second nerve cell is the 'postganglionic neuron', which is formed by the functioning of relay station by the preganglionic neuron.
• Postganglionic neuron has a cell body in its ganglion and it terminates on smooth muscles, cardiac muscles etc.,

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