Answers
What makes up the autonomic nervous system? - ANS Sympathetic and parasympathetic
nervous system
What is the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for? - ANS Conserving energy and
the body's resources
What is the sympathetic nervous system responsible for? - ANS Catecholamine release -
Epinephrine
Mobilizing energy stores and decreasing release of insulin
Redistributing blood low - Increasing to muscles and lungs (flight) and decreasing to
GI/Integumentary
What are the classifications of primary brain injury? - ANS Focal or diffuse
What are focal brain injuries? - ANS Specific, grossly observable lesions that occur in a
precise location
What are examples of focal brain injuries? - ANS Epidural hemorrhage and subdural
hemorrhage
Pg. 1 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
, What are examples of diffuse brain injuries? - ANS Hypoxia, meningitis, encephalitis, and
damage to blood vessels
What can happen with increased intracranial pressures? - ANS Collateral dysfunction such as
Diabetes Insipidus
What are characteristics of autonomic hyperreflexia? - ANS Paroxysmal hypertension,
pounding headache, blurred vision, sweating above level of lesion with flushing of skin, nasal
congestion, nausea, piloerection causes by pilomotor spasm, and bradycardia.
What is the sequence of events leading to hyperreflexia induced bradycardia? -
ANS Stimulation of the carotid sinus nerve to the sinoatrial nose
The intact autonomic nervous system reflexively responds with arteriolar spasm that increases
blood pressure
Baroreceptors in the cerebral vessels, carotid sinus, and aorta sense the hypertension and
stimulation the parasympathetic nervous system
The heart rate decreases, but the visceral and peripheral vessels do not dilate because efferent
impulses cannot pass through the cord
What are the onset of delirium and dementia? - ANS Delirium - acute and common during
hospitalization
Dementia - usually insidious and can be acute in situations such as trauma or stroke
Pg. 2 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.