Storungen des autonomen nervensystems

The autonomic nervous system consists of two different components: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system, which are controlled by a central network in the brain and spinal cord. Therefore autonomic dysfunctions are caused by a variety of diseases of the CNS and PNS. Due to CNS diseases there are two general types of autonomic dysfunctions. Firstly deficiency syndromes caused by cell lesions and secondly pure dysfunctions without any structural lesions. Typical primary deficiency syndromes are MSA and Parkinson's disease; secondary deficiency syndromes are, for example, brain infarctions or syringomyelia. Typical examples of pure dysfunctions of the autonomic nervous system are side effects of drugs. Consecutive symptoms of an efferent autonomic denervation are pupillary dysfunction, trophic disturbances, anhidrosis and vasodysregulation; consecutive symptoms of an autonomic visceral denervation are cardioneuropathy, gastrointestinal disorders and urogenital disturbances. Diabetes mellitus is the most important etiology of autonomic peripheral neuropathy.