Comparing Somatic, Autonomic, Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems

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SUMMARY

This discussion clarifies the distinctions between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems, as well as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The somatic nervous system features motor neuron cell bodies located within the central nervous system (CNS), while the autonomic nervous system has its motor neuron cell bodies situated outside the CNS in ganglia. The sympathetic nervous system is associated with the 'fight or flight' response, utilizing both acetylcholine and noradrenaline as neurotransmitters, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system is linked to 'rest and digest' functions, primarily using acetylcholine. Additionally, the anterior pituitary gland produces hormones in response to releasing hormones from the hypothalamus, while the posterior pituitary gland stores hormones produced by the hypothalamus for later release.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the central nervous system (CNS)
  • Knowledge of neurotransmitters, specifically acetylcholine and noradrenaline
  • Familiarity with the structure and function of the hypothalamus
  • Basic concepts of the endocrine system, particularly the roles of the anterior and posterior pituitary glands
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  • Research the role of the vagus nerve in the parasympathetic nervous system
  • Explore the physiological effects of sympathetic activation on the body
  • Learn about the hormonal pathways involving the hypothalamic-pituitary axis
  • Investigate the differences in neurotransmitter release between sympathetic and parasympathetic responses
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Students and professionals in neuroscience, physiology, and medicine, particularly those studying the nervous and endocrine systems.

endeavour
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Easiest/best ways to describe the differences between:

Somatic and autonomic nervous system
-somatic has the motor neurone's cell body inside the CNS, while autonomic has its motor neurone's cell body outside the CNS, in the ganglia (2 neurones carry impulse from CNS to organ)


Sympathetic and parasympathetic NS.
-Sympathetic is concerned with 'flight or fight'; parasympathetic is 'rest and digest'.
-In sympathetic NS, ganglia are connected to each other? (not sure about that)
-Parasympathetic NS - synapse between preganglionic neurone and autonomic neurone is inside the organ (while sympathetic is in the ganglia close to spinal cord).
-Parasympathetic involves the vagus nerve.
-and what about the neurotransmitters? Both use acetylcholine, but sympathetic uses noradrenaline too?

posterior and anterior pituitary glands- posterior: secretes hormones made by hypothalamus, into blood (eg ADH and oxytocin)
- anterior: neurones in hypothalamus produce, and secrete hormones into blood vessels. Hormones then travel via blood to anterior pituitary gland, and affect secretions of other hormone.


I'm unsure about differences between posterior and anterior.

please, if you can correct or add to the above, PLEASE REPLY!

Thankyou :)
 
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endeavour said:
posterior and anterior pituitary glands- posterior: secretes hormones made by hypothalamus, into blood (eg ADH and oxytocin)
- anterior: neurones in hypothalamus produce, and secrete hormones into blood vessels. Hormones then travel via blood to anterior pituitary gland, and affect secretions of other hormone.


I'm unsure about differences between posterior and anterior.

I'll start here, for no other reason than because it's the easiest for me to answer without thinking much (I've been busy with other stuff so haven't replying to questions that require me to think too hard about something other than the work I'm trying to distract myself from while online :rolleyes:) Anyway, you're going to get the very boiled down version here.

The hypothalamus produces a bunch of hormones (in various cells and in various places in the hypothalamus). Some of these hormones are called releasing hormones. These releasing hormones are secreted into a collection of blood vessels (pituitary portal vessels) that run from the hypothalamus (a very small part of it known as the median eminence) to the anterior pituitary (also called the adenohypophysis). When they reach the anterior pituitary, they stimulate the production and/or release of other hormones within cells of the pituitary. These hormones then are released into the general blood circulation to reach more distant targets in the body to either act upon those organs or stimulate or inhibit release of other hormones from those more distant glands.

Another set of hormones produced in the hypothalamus are released by neurons that project all the way down to the posterior pituitary (also called the neurohypophysis). They are then stored there until released into the general circulation to act on more distant targets.

So, the anterior pituitary produces a new set of hormones in response to those that reach it from the hypothalamus while the posterior pituitary acts more like a warehouse to temporarily store hormones produced by the hypothalamus to be later distributed to the rest of the body.
 

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