The sympathetic nervous system mediates the body's response to arousal/activity/anger/fear/stress.
Primary target organs are:
- Heart, blood vessels >> increased heart rate and force, constriction of peripheral blood vessels and those in the gut to allow greater supply to muscles
- Lungs >> dilation of airways for easier breathing
- Smooth muscle in organs>> reduced gut function; pupil dilation; bladder sphincter closed; goosebumps
- Glands (sweat, salivary, digestive); reduced urine secretion; sweat on palms and other sites ("adrenergic sweating")
- Metabolic tissue (fat cells, liver)>> increased blood sugar
- Ejaculation
The parasympathetic system returns the body to ?steady state':
- Heart rate decreases
- Bronchial muscle relaxes
- Pupil constricts
- Bladder sphincter relaxes
- Digestive functions resume
- Penile erection
This is a rather simplified picture.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
