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Contents loading... Editors loading... Categories loading... When refering to evidence in academic writing, you should always try to reference the primary (original) source. That is usually the journal article where the information was first stated. In most cases Physiopedia articles are a secondary source and so should not be used as references. Physiopedia articles are best used to find the original sources of information (see the references list at the bottom of the article). If you believe that this Physiopedia article is the primary source for the information you are refering to, you can use the button below to access a related citation statement. Introduction[edit | edit source]Autonomic and Somatic Nervous System The autonomic nervous system is a component of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary physiologic processes. It functions without conscious control throughout the lifespan of an organism to control cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and exocrine and endocrine glands, which in turn regulate blood pressure, urination, bowel movements, and thermoregulation.. The ANS does this by using many diverse chemicals and signals to maintain homeostasis. It contains three anatomically distinct divisions: sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric.[1][2]See links Overview[edit | edit source]The autonomic nervous system operates by receiving information from the environment and from other parts of the body. The sympathetic system is viewed as a quickly responding system that mobilizes the body for action where the parasympathetic system is believed to act much more slowly to dampen responses[3].
Although most of the autonomic nervous system responses are involuntary, they can integrate with the somatic nervous system, which is responsible for the voluntary movements. eg in the case of defecation, there is an interplay between voluntary and involuntary movements[4].
Dysautonomia[edit | edit source]Hand of a person with POTS and dysautonomia exhibiting blood pooling When the parasympathetic and sympathetic components of the autonomic nervous systems become out of sync, people can experience an autonomic disorder, also called dysautonomia.[3] Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe several different medical conditions that cause a malfunction of the Autonomic Nervous System. The Autonomic Nervous System controls functions of the body that we do not consciously think about. People living with various forms of dysautonomia have trouble regulating these systems, which can result in lightheadedness, fainting, unstable blood pressure, abnormal heart rates, malnutrition, and in severe cases, death. Over 70 million people worldwide live with various forms of dysautonomia. People of any age, gender or race can be impacted. There is no cure for any form of dysautonomia at this time[5]. There are numerous types of autonomic disorders including: Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS); Idiopathic orthostatic hypotension; Multiple system atrophy; Orthostatic hypotension; Postprandial hypotension.[3] References[edit | edit source]
Which part of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for expending energy?Sympathetic Nervous System - responsible for expending energy.
Is the limbic system part of the autonomic nervous system?These structures are known to be involved in the processing and regulating of emotions, the formation and storage of memories, sexual arousal, and learning. The limbic system is thought to be an important element in the body's response to stress, being highly connected to the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems.
What activates the adrenal cortex to secrete corticoids?Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is released from the hypothalamus, which stimulates the anterior pituitary to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH then acts on its target organ, the adrenal cortex.
Which part of the brain sounds the alarm to activate the hypothalamus gland?When someone experiences a stressful event, the amygdala, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing, sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus.
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