ADRENERGIC PHARM LECTURE EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST VERSION 2025/2026.
What are the two divisions of the ANS and their primary roles? - ANS SNS fight or flight, PNS
rest and digest
Where are SNS preganglionic neurons located? - ANS Thoracolumbar spinal cord
Where are PNS preganglionic neurons located? - ANS Craniosacral spinal cord
Where are SNS ganglia located and why does it matter? - ANS Near the spinal cord enabling
fast widespread response
Where are PNS ganglia located and why does it matter? - ANS Near or within target organs
enabling localized control
What neurotransmitter is released at all autonomic ganglia? - ANS Acetylcholine acting on
nicotinic receptors
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Which neurotransmitters are typically released at end organs for SNS and PNS? - ANS SNS
norepinephrine or epinephrine on adrenergic receptors, PNS acetylcholine on muscarinic
receptors
What is autonomic tone and why does it vary? - ANS Baseline SNS or PNS influence that
varies with age, organ, sex, stress, and disease
Which system usually dominates in newborns and what is the risk? - ANS Parasympathetic
tone dominates increasing bradycardia risk under stress or hypoxia
What are the main adrenergic receptor families? - ANS Alpha1 alpha2 beta1 beta2 plus
dopaminergic D1 and D2
Where are nicotinic Nn and Nm receptors found? - ANS Nn at autonomic ganglia, Nm at
neuromuscular junction
Which muscarinic subtypes are most clinically relevant and what do they do? - ANS M2 and
M3 producing bradycardia bronchoconstriction and increased secretions and GI motility
Where are alpha1 receptors located? - ANS Postsynaptic on vascular smooth muscle iris
bronchi uterus and GI and GU sphincters
What is the primary vascular effect of alpha1 stimulation? - ANS Vasoconstriction increasing
PVR afterload and arterial blood pressure
How does alpha1 stimulation cause smooth muscle contraction? - ANS Increases intracellular
calcium in smooth muscle
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Name nonvascular effects of alpha1 activation. - ANS Mydriasis bronchoconstriction uterine
contraction and GI or GU sphincter contraction
What endocrine effects are associated with alpha1 activation? - ANS Decreased insulin
secretion and decreased lipolysis
Give a clinical example of an alpha1 agonist. - ANS Phenylephrine
Where are alpha2 receptors located centrally and peripherally? - ANS Presynaptic and
postsynaptic in CNS and on peripheral tissues including vascular smooth muscle liver kidney
pancreas platelets and eyes
What is the presynaptic alpha2 function in the CNS or PNS? - ANS Autoreceptor inhibiting
norepinephrine release decreasing sympathetic tone
What are postsynaptic CNS alpha2 effects? - ANS Inhibit sympathetic outflow causing
peripheral vasodilation sedation anxiolysis and analgesia
What spinal cord alpha2 effect relates to analgesia? - ANS Inhibits pain signal transmission in
the dorsal horn
What is the peripheral vascular effect of alpha2 stimulation? - ANS Vasoconstriction in veins
and smaller arteries
Why is it important to distinguish CNS alpha2 from peripheral alpha2 effects? - ANS CNS
alpha2 causes vasodilation via sympatholysis while peripheral alpha2 causes vasoconstriction
which matters for clonidine and dexmedetomidine responses
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
QUESTIONS WITH 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST VERSION 2025/2026.
What are the two divisions of the ANS and their primary roles? - ANS SNS fight or flight, PNS
rest and digest
Where are SNS preganglionic neurons located? - ANS Thoracolumbar spinal cord
Where are PNS preganglionic neurons located? - ANS Craniosacral spinal cord
Where are SNS ganglia located and why does it matter? - ANS Near the spinal cord enabling
fast widespread response
Where are PNS ganglia located and why does it matter? - ANS Near or within target organs
enabling localized control
What neurotransmitter is released at all autonomic ganglia? - ANS Acetylcholine acting on
nicotinic receptors
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,Which neurotransmitters are typically released at end organs for SNS and PNS? - ANS SNS
norepinephrine or epinephrine on adrenergic receptors, PNS acetylcholine on muscarinic
receptors
What is autonomic tone and why does it vary? - ANS Baseline SNS or PNS influence that
varies with age, organ, sex, stress, and disease
Which system usually dominates in newborns and what is the risk? - ANS Parasympathetic
tone dominates increasing bradycardia risk under stress or hypoxia
What are the main adrenergic receptor families? - ANS Alpha1 alpha2 beta1 beta2 plus
dopaminergic D1 and D2
Where are nicotinic Nn and Nm receptors found? - ANS Nn at autonomic ganglia, Nm at
neuromuscular junction
Which muscarinic subtypes are most clinically relevant and what do they do? - ANS M2 and
M3 producing bradycardia bronchoconstriction and increased secretions and GI motility
Where are alpha1 receptors located? - ANS Postsynaptic on vascular smooth muscle iris
bronchi uterus and GI and GU sphincters
What is the primary vascular effect of alpha1 stimulation? - ANS Vasoconstriction increasing
PVR afterload and arterial blood pressure
How does alpha1 stimulation cause smooth muscle contraction? - ANS Increases intracellular
calcium in smooth muscle
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, Name nonvascular effects of alpha1 activation. - ANS Mydriasis bronchoconstriction uterine
contraction and GI or GU sphincter contraction
What endocrine effects are associated with alpha1 activation? - ANS Decreased insulin
secretion and decreased lipolysis
Give a clinical example of an alpha1 agonist. - ANS Phenylephrine
Where are alpha2 receptors located centrally and peripherally? - ANS Presynaptic and
postsynaptic in CNS and on peripheral tissues including vascular smooth muscle liver kidney
pancreas platelets and eyes
What is the presynaptic alpha2 function in the CNS or PNS? - ANS Autoreceptor inhibiting
norepinephrine release decreasing sympathetic tone
What are postsynaptic CNS alpha2 effects? - ANS Inhibit sympathetic outflow causing
peripheral vasodilation sedation anxiolysis and analgesia
What spinal cord alpha2 effect relates to analgesia? - ANS Inhibits pain signal transmission in
the dorsal horn
What is the peripheral vascular effect of alpha2 stimulation? - ANS Vasoconstriction in veins
and smaller arteries
Why is it important to distinguish CNS alpha2 from peripheral alpha2 effects? - ANS CNS
alpha2 causes vasodilation via sympatholysis while peripheral alpha2 causes vasoconstriction
which matters for clonidine and dexmedetomidine responses
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
