Exploring the Autonomic Nervous System: Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic

Professor Dave explains the autonomic nervous system, a part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for involuntary actions like heartbeats and digestion. He contrasts it with the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movements. The autonomic system is divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions, each with distinct roles in body regulation. The sympathetic division handles emergency responses, while the parasympathetic division manages rest and digestion. The video also covers the anatomical differences between these divisions and reviews the overall structure of the nervous system.

What does the autonomic nervous system primarily control?

• Voluntary muscle movements

• Memory storage and retrieval

• Involuntary actions like heartbeats

• Conscious thought processes

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-3

How is the motor division of the peripheral nervous system divided?

• Into the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions

• Between the sensory and motor divisions

• Into the central and peripheral systems

• Between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems

What type of muscle does the autonomic nervous system innervate?

• Muscles in the arms and legs

• Muscles in the face and neck

• Smooth and cardiac muscles

• Skeletal muscle

How are the somatic and autonomic nervous systems different in terms of neuronal structure?

• There is no difference in neuronal structure

• Somatic neurons are nonmyelinated, autonomic are myelinated

• Somatic neurons release norepinephrine, autonomic release acetylcholine

• Somatic axons are heavily myelinated, autonomic neurons can be lightly myelinated or nonmyelinated

What neurotransmitters are released by the autonomic nervous system?

• Only norepinephrine

• Both acetylcholine and norepinephrine

• Only acetylcholine

• Dopamine and serotonin

What is the main role of the parasympathetic division?

• Regulating sensory information processing

• Stimulating voluntary muscle movements

• Facilitating 'rest and digest' actions

• Preparing the body for emergency responses

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-3

What does the sympathetic division stimulate?

• Fight-or-flight responses

• Digestion and waste expulsion

• Skeletal muscle contraction

• Memory formation and retrieval

What is dual innervation?

• The division of the nervous system into two parts

• A rare disorder affecting the nervous system

• A condition where two neurons innervate the same muscle

• The process by which both divisions work together

Where do the parasympathetic fibers originate?

• In the thoracic and lumbar regions

• In the brain and sacral region of the spinal cord

• Throughout the entire spinal cord

• Only in the peripheral regions of the body

What is the primary function of the central nervous system in relation to the autonomic nervous system?

• It controls voluntary movements only

• It regulates the autonomic nervous system

• It serves as the primary pathway for sensory information

• It has no role in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS1-3