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Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
Prepares the body for stress responses, increasing alertness and physical performance (fight-or-flight response).
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)
Promotes relaxation and energy conservation, decreasing heart rate and enhancing digestion.
Enteric Nervous System (ENS)
Manages complex digestive processes autonomously; often referred to as the 'second brain'.
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Regulates involuntary bodily functions and works in conjunction with the endocrine system to maintain homeostasis.
Cholinergic Agonists
Pharmacological agents that stimulate acetylcholine receptors, enhancing parasympathetic activity.
Adrenergic Antagonists
Pharmaceuticals that block norepinephrine receptors, reducing sympathetic responses.
Fight-or-Flight Response
Physiological response activated by the SNS that prepares the body for immediate physical action.
Neurotransmittters in the ANS
Includes acetylcholine (PNS) and noradrenaline (SNS), which mediate responses in their respective systems.
Functions of the PNS
Slows heart rate, reduces blood pressure, stimulates digestion, and helps regulate sexual arousal.
Functions of the SNS
Increases heart rate, facilitates bronchodilation, and reduces digestive activity.
Hypothalamus Role in ANS
Integrates sensory information and coordinates autonomic and hormonal responses, regulating homeostasis.
What is the primary function of the SNS?
To prepare the body for stress, enhancing alertness and physical performance through fight-or-flight mechanisms.
How does the PNS support energy conservation?
By decreasing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and stimulating digestion.
What are the two main divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System?
The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).
What neurotransmitter is primarily associated with the Parasympathetic nervous system?
Acetylcholine.
What is the 'second brain'?
The Enteric Nervous System (ENS), which controls digestive processes independently.
Explain how the Autonomic Nervous System contributes to homeostasis during a state of stress.
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) adjusts bodily functions to maintain homeostasis during stress by activating the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) for immediate responses like increased heart rate and reduced digestive activity, while the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) helps to restore balance post-stress by promoting relaxation and digestion.
Describe the role of the hypothalamus in integrating autonomic responses.
The hypothalamus acts as a control center by processing sensory information and coordinating both autonomic and hormonal responses to regulate various homeostatic functions, such as temperature, hunger, and stress responses.
Differentiate between cholinergic and adrenergic antagonists in their mechanisms of action within the ANS.
Cholinergic antagonists block acetylcholine receptors, thereby inhibiting parasympathetic activity, while adrenergic antagonists block norepinephrine receptors, reducing sympathetic responses and effects on the body.
Discuss the physiological implications of an overactive sympathetic nervous system.
An overactive SNS can lead to chronic stress responses, resulting in elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure, anxiety disorders, and digestive issues due to prolonged inhibition of the PNS, which may harm overall health.
How do neurotransmitters differ in their functions within the SNS and PNS?
Acetylcholine primarily facilitates 'rest and digest' functions in the PNS, enhancing bodily restoration, while noradrenaline drives 'fight-or-flight' responses in the SNS, promoting increased alertness and physical readiness.
