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( Autonomic nervous system)
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™ The autonomic nervous system (ANS) (or visceral nervous system) is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system, maintaining homeostasis in the body. These activities are generally performed without conscious control or sensation. The ANS affects heart rate, digestion, respiration rate, salivation, perspiration, diameter of the pupils, micturition (urination), and sexual arousal. Whereas most of its actions are involuntary, some, such as breathing, work in tandem with the conscious mind. Its main components are its sensory system, motor system (comprised of the parasympathetic nervous system and sympathetic nervous system), and the enteric nervous system. The ANS is a classical term, widely used throughout the scientific and medical community. Its most useful definition could be the sensory and motor neurons that innervate the viscera. These neurons form reflex arcs that pass through the lower brainstem or medulla oblongata. If the central nervous system (CNS) is damaged above that level, life is still possible, because cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory functions will continue to be adequately regulated.
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Autonomic nervous system Subcategories
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