BSNC 2000 EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026
PRACTICE MATERIALS
●● Urinary Elimination. Answer: Process of emptying the bladder
through the urethra to outside of the body
●● Bowel Elimination. Answer: Discharge of feces from the body
●● Defecation. Answer: Discharge of feces from the body
●● Micturition. Answer: Discharge of urine from the body
●● Continence. Answer: The ability to retain urine or feces until the
proper time for their discharge
●● Anuria. Answer: Passage of less than 100ml of urine per day
●● Oliguria. Answer: Passage of less than 400ml of urine per day
●● Dysuria. Answer: Painful urination
, ●● Urgency. Answer: An immediate unstoppable urge to urinate, due to
a sudden involuntary contraction of the muscular wall of the bladder
●● Hesitancy. Answer: Difficulty initiating a urine stream
●● Micturition Reflex. Answer: - When urinary bladder is stretched
there's an increase in the frequency of action potentials carried from the
bladder wall to the sacral region of the spinal cord
- In response, parasympathetic neurons from the spinal cord to the
bladder are activated and this causes the smooth muscle (detrusor
muscle) on the bladder wall to contract
- The sensory signals to the sacral region of the spinal cord also
stimulate the ascending pathways to the pons and cerebrum, which
results in a conscious desire to urinate
- If urination isn't convenient at the time, the brain sends impulses down
the spinal cord to inhibit the micturition reflex
- Impulses carried via somatic motor neurons keep the external urinary
sphincter contracted, which also prevents urination
- When its desired, signals from the brain stimulate the micturition reflex
- The brain also decreases action potentials in the somatic motor neurons
to relax the external urinary sphincter
●● How does the brain inhibit the micturition reflex?. Answer: -
Micturition reflex is completely autonomic spinal cord reflex, but can be
inhibited or facilitated by centres in the brain
PRACTICE MATERIALS
●● Urinary Elimination. Answer: Process of emptying the bladder
through the urethra to outside of the body
●● Bowel Elimination. Answer: Discharge of feces from the body
●● Defecation. Answer: Discharge of feces from the body
●● Micturition. Answer: Discharge of urine from the body
●● Continence. Answer: The ability to retain urine or feces until the
proper time for their discharge
●● Anuria. Answer: Passage of less than 100ml of urine per day
●● Oliguria. Answer: Passage of less than 400ml of urine per day
●● Dysuria. Answer: Painful urination
, ●● Urgency. Answer: An immediate unstoppable urge to urinate, due to
a sudden involuntary contraction of the muscular wall of the bladder
●● Hesitancy. Answer: Difficulty initiating a urine stream
●● Micturition Reflex. Answer: - When urinary bladder is stretched
there's an increase in the frequency of action potentials carried from the
bladder wall to the sacral region of the spinal cord
- In response, parasympathetic neurons from the spinal cord to the
bladder are activated and this causes the smooth muscle (detrusor
muscle) on the bladder wall to contract
- The sensory signals to the sacral region of the spinal cord also
stimulate the ascending pathways to the pons and cerebrum, which
results in a conscious desire to urinate
- If urination isn't convenient at the time, the brain sends impulses down
the spinal cord to inhibit the micturition reflex
- Impulses carried via somatic motor neurons keep the external urinary
sphincter contracted, which also prevents urination
- When its desired, signals from the brain stimulate the micturition reflex
- The brain also decreases action potentials in the somatic motor neurons
to relax the external urinary sphincter
●● How does the brain inhibit the micturition reflex?. Answer: -
Micturition reflex is completely autonomic spinal cord reflex, but can be
inhibited or facilitated by centres in the brain
