NeuroscienceLesson 1 of 3 in the course The Autonomic Nervous System

Autonomic Reflexes: Pathways, Sensory Input, and Homeostatic Control

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Reflexes produce rapid, coordinated responses to changes inside or outside the body. This lesson introduces the shared structure of reflex arcs and the important difference between somatic and autonomic outputs.

A reflex arc is a pathway through which sensory information triggers a response. Its afferent branch carries sensory information toward the central nervous system (CNS), while its efferent branch carries commands away from the CNS to an effector.

All flashcards

What is a reflex arc?
A neural pathway in which sensory input triggers a coordinated response through an efferent output.
What do afferent and efferent mean?
Afferent pathways carry information toward the CNS; efferent pathways carry commands away from the CNS.
What is the somatic reflex effector?
Skeletal muscle, which contracts in response to output from a motor neuron.
What are the two neurons in a typical autonomic efferent pathway?
A preganglionic neuron, which runs from the CNS to an autonomic ganglion, and a postganglionic neuron, which runs from the ganglion to the effector.
Which tissues can autonomic reflexes regulate?
Cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and glandular tissue.

Quiz questions

  1. What does the afferent branch of a reflex arc carry?Answer: Sensory information toward the central nervous system.
  2. Which tissue is an effector of a somatic reflex?Answer: Skeletal muscle.
  3. What is the usual sequence in the efferent branch of a visceral reflex?Answer: A preganglionic neuron synapses with a postganglionic neuron, which projects to an effector.
  4. A reflex changes the activity of a gland. Which nervous system pathway most directly accounts for this response?Answer: An autonomic visceral reflex.
  5. Which neurotransmitter do sympathetic fibers to sweat glands release?Answer: Acetylcholine, which acts on muscarinic receptors.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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