Neurology | Sympathetic Nervous System

📚 Premium Notes & Illustrations for Sympathetic Nervous System: https://www.ninjanerd.org/lecture/sympathetic-nervous-system

Ninja Nerds!
Join us for this lecture, where Professor Zach Murphy will discuss the anatomy and physiology of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). We begin by tracing the origin of sympathetic fibers from the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord, discussing the lateral horn’s role in housing preganglionic neuron cell bodies. From there, we examine the sympathetic chain ganglia, prevertebral ganglia, and the organization of preganglionic versus postganglionic fibers, including their lengths, neurotransmitters, and receptor types at each synapse.

We then explore the functional impact of the SNS on different organ systems, highlighting the fight-or-flight responses that prepare the body for immediate action. These include increasing heart rate and contractility, dilating bronchioles, mobilizing glucose from the liver, shunting blood to skeletal muscle, dilating pupils, and reducing gastrointestinal motility. We also discuss exceptional cases, such as the adrenal medulla’s release of epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream for a systemic effect.

Finally, we integrate these structural and functional details into a unified understanding of how the SNS rapidly coordinates the body’s response to stress, danger, and high-demand situations. We emphasize the importance of sympathetic tone in maintaining baseline vascular resistance and regulating blood pressure, and how higher brain centers like the hypothalamus and brainstem mediate sympathetic output.

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