Re: CMT and the autonomic nervous system.

[Guest guest]

I have that problem also....so does my daughter but she has trouble holding her

BM.....has uncontrollable bouts of diarrhea. We both have CMT as well as my

Dad,that had that problen also.

Geri

[Guest guest]

Ruth,

I think you mentioned this before, but I can't find your post. We know that the

heart, lungs/breathing, and swallowing/digestion *can be* affected by CMT.

People with CMT often experience reflux, (a backing up of the acid in the

stomach into the esophagus and sometime the mouth), diarrhea and constipation

but then so do millions of people without CMT.

So I wonder if your diet is high fiber, what medications or supplements you use,

if any, have you had a colonoscopy and do you exercise?

As for PNS and ANS:

Peripheral Nervous System

The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)contains only nerves and connects the brain

and spinal cord (CNS) to the rest of the body. The axons and dendrites are

surrounded by a white myelin sheath. Cell bodies are in the central nervous

system (CNS) or ganglia. Ganglia are collections of nerve cell bodies. Cranial

nerves in the PNS take impulses to and from the brain (CNS). Spinal nerves take

impulses to and away from the spinal cord. There are two major subdivisions of

the PNS motor pathways: the somatic and the autonomic.

Two main components of the PNS:

sensory (afferent) pathways that provide input from the body into the CNS.

motor (efferent) pathways that carry signals to muscles and glands (effectors).

Most sensory input carried in the PNS remains below the level of conscious

awareness. Input that does reach the conscious level contributes to perception

of our external environment.

Somatic Nervous System

The Somatic Nervous System (SNS) includes all nerves controlling the muscular

system and external sensory receptors. External sense organs (including skin)

are receptors. Muscle fibers and gland cells are effectors. The reflex arc is an

automatic, involuntary reaction to a stimulus. When the doctor taps your knee

with the rubber hammer, she/he is testing your reflex (or knee-jerk). The

reaction to the stimulus is involuntary, with the CNS being informed but not

consciously controlling the response. Examples of reflex arcs include balance,

the blinking reflex, and the stretch reflex.

Sensory input from the PNS is processed by the CNS and responses are sent by the

PNS from the CNS to the organs of the body.

Motor neurons of the somatic system are distinct from those of the autonomic

system. Inhibitory signals, cannot be sent through the motor neurons of the

somatic system.

Autonomic Nervous System

The Autonomic Nervous System is that part of PNS consisting of motor neurons

that control internal organs. It has two subsystems. The autonomic system

controls muscles in the heart, the smooth muscle in internal organs such as the

intestine, bladder, and uterus. The Sympathetic Nervous System is involved in

the fight or flight response. The Parasympathetic Nervous System is involved in

relaxation. Each of these subsystems operates in the reverse of the other

(antagonism). Both systems innervate the same organs and act in opposition to

maintain homeostasis. For example: when you are scared the sympathetic system

causes your heart to beat faster; the parasympathetic system reverses this

effect.

Motor neurons in this system do not reach their targets directly (as do those in

the somatic system) but rather connect to a secondary motor neuron which in turn

innervates the target organ.

Gretchen

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