Sympathetic nervous system

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Sympathetic nervous system

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Bronchodilation p. 706

sympathetic receptors and p. 237

Lipolysis

sympathetic receptors and p. 237

Renal sympathetic discharge p. 606

Renin p. 606

sympathetic receptors and p. 237

Sympathetic activity

venous return and p. 291

Sympathetic nervous system p. 235

male sexual response p. 645

Sympathetic receptors p. 235

Vasodilation

sympathetic receptors p. 237

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The nervous system is divided into the central nervous system, so the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, which includes all the nerves that connect the central nervous system to the muscles and organs.

The peripheral nervous system can be divided into the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movement of our skeletal muscles, and the autonomic nervous system, which is further divided into the sympathetic and the parasympathetic, and controls the involuntary movement of the smooth muscles and glands of our organs.

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems have opposite effects on the body.

The sympathetic nervous system controls functions like increasing the heart rate and blood pressure, as well as slowing digestion. All of this maximizes blood flow to the muscles and brain, and can help you either run away from a threat or fight it, which is why it’s also called the fight-or-flight response.

The parasympathetic nervous system instead slows the heart rate and stimulates digestion - the effects can be summarized as 'rest and digest'.

Now, neurons are the main cells of the nervous system. They’re composed of a cell body, which contains all the cell’s organelles, and nerve fibers, which are projections that extend out from the neuron cell body.

Nerve fibers are either dendrites that receive signals from other neurons, or axons that send signals along to other neurons.

Where two neurons come together is called a synapse, and that’s where one end of an axon sends neurotransmitters to the dendrites or directly to the cell body of the next neuron in the series.

Summary

The sympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that helps regulate the body's involuntary functions such as breathing, digestion, heart rate, and blood pressure. It is based on a preganglionic or cholinergic neuron that releases acetylcholine and a postganglionic neuron that releases either catecholamines or acetylcholine to a target cell.

The sympathetic nervous system is often referred to as the fight or flight system because it helps prepare the body for action in response to a threatening or stressful situation. In emergency situations, the activity of the sympathetic nervous system increases and diverts blood away from the organs that are not necessary for survival, like the gastrointestinal tract and the bladder, and increases blood flow to muscles and organs like the brain. The sympathetic nervous system works in opposition to the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body to relax and conserve energy.

Sources

  1. "Medical Physiology" Elsevier (2016)
  2. "Physiology" Elsevier (2017)
  3. "Human Anatomy & Physiology" Pearson (2018)
  4. "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology" Wiley (2014)
  5. "Adrenoceptor Function and Expression in Bladder Urothelium and Lamina Propria" Urology (2013)
  6. "The Sympathetic Nervous System in Heart Failure" Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2009)
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