What is the Isautonomic nervous system?

The autonomic nervous system is a component of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary physiologic processes including heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, and sexual arousal. It contains three anatomically distinct divisions: sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric.

What are the four functions of the autonomic nervous system?

Autonomic functions include control of respiration, cardiac regulation (the cardiac control center), vasomotor activity (the vasomotor center), and certain reflex actions such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing and vomiting.

What are the functions of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system?

The sympathetic system controls “fight-or-flight” responses. In other words, this system prepares the body for strenuous physical activity. The events that we would expect to occur within the body to allow this to happen do, in fact, occur. The parasympathetic system regulates “rest and digest” functions.

What are the branches of the autonomic nervous system and their functions?

The two divisions of the autonomic nervous system are the sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division. The sympathetic system is associated with the fight-or-flight response, and parasympathetic activity is referred to by the epithet of rest and digest. Homeostasis is the balance between the two systems.

What is enteric nervous system?

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a quasi autonomous part of the nervous system and includes a number of neural circuits that control motor functions, local blood flow, mucosal transport and secretions, and modulates immune and endocrine functions.

What is parasympathetic function?

The parasympathetic nervous system predominates in quiet “rest and digest” conditions while the sympathetic nervous system drives the “fight or flight” response in stressful situations. The main purpose of the PNS is to conserve energy to be used later and to regulate bodily functions like digestion and urination.[1]

What are the main functions of the sympathetic nervous system?

The sympathetic nervous system promotes the following activities: It allows blood flow to skeletal muscles and the lungs. It diverts blood flow away from the gastro-intestinal tract and skin. It dilates bronchioles of the lung. Increases heart rate and the ability of cardiac cell (myocytes) to contract.

What is the function of the nervous system?

The nervous system is made up large numbers of units known as neurons. They send, receive and process the nerve impulses inside and outside the body. Sensory neurons convert physical stimuli, e.g. smell, light, or sound, into action possibilities, which are then transmitted to the spinal cord or brain.

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Peripheral nervous system; it is the autonomic nervous system which is part of the peripheral nervous system, that control the internal organs; it consists of the motor neurons. It has two systems, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system.

What is the somatic nervous system?

The somatic nervous system is the voluntary component of the peripheral nervous system. It consists of all the fibers within cranial and spinal nerves that enable us to perform voluntary body movements (efferent nerves) and feel sensation from the skin, muscles and joints (afferent nerves).