Autonomic neuroscience
is concerned with the study of the control of the body's organs.
The role of the autonomic nervous system is to regulate and co-ordinate
activities to ensure homeostasis so that we can cope with ever-changing
demands in our daily lives.
Continuing research in
autonomic neuroscience is required as we still do not fully understand
the chemical coding of the autonomic neurones and the interaction
of the nervous pathways involved in the normal control of bodily
functions. These may be altered in a range of diseases such as
diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and after
surgery or trauma. We need to understand the interactions of
the autonomic nervous system with the immune, vascular and secretory
systems.
Nerve cells communicate
through a series of chemical messengers (transmitters) that are
released by nerve cells. Aside from classical transmitters noradrenaline
or acetylcholine, other transmitters have emerged over the last
20 years. The purine adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is now recognised
as one of several further chemical messengers. Purines provide
signals to cells by binding to specific receptors (purinoceptors)
located on the surface of the cells. Purinoceptors have been
found not only in the nervous system itself but also within the
organs innervated by the autonomic nervous system; when activated,
the receptors elicit cellular changes and alter the action of
the organs or the nerves.
This page last modified
18 December, 2008
by [Content Provider]