Question

What is the significance of the anatomic design of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 1

Autonomic nervous system is the division of peripheral nervous system that influences the function of internal organs.

Autonomous nervous system is regulated by the hypothalamus that acts as a integrator for Autonomic functions receiving ANS regulatory input from limbic system to do so .

ANS is divided into sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. sympathetic division emerges from spinal cord in the thoracic and lumbar areas terminatung in L2-3. This division had craniosacral outflow meaning that neurons begin at the cranial nerves.

The anatomical significance of ANS is that it requires sequencial two neurons efferent pathway.

The preganglionic neuron must first synapse with post ganglion neuron before innervating target organ. The preganglionic neuron or first neuron will begin at the outflow and synapse with postganglionic neuron or second neurons cell body. The post ganglionic neuron then synapse with cell body.

Autonomic nerves travel to various organs throughout the body . most organs receive parasympathetic supply by vagus nerve and sympathetic supply by splanchic nerve.