Sympathetic nervous system
(Redirected from Sympathetic response)
Sympathetic Nervous System
The Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is one of the two main divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the other being the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The autonomic nervous system functions to regulate the body's unconscious actions. The sympathetic nervous system's primary process is to stimulate the body's fight-or-flight response. It is, however, constantly active at a basic level to maintain homeostasis.
Structure[edit | edit source]
The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system, which also includes the parasympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for up- and down-regulating many homeostatic mechanisms in living organisms.
Function[edit | edit source]
The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's response to stress or danger. It increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels; dilates the pupils; and slows digestion. It also has important roles in the control of most of the body's internal organs.
Clinical significance[edit | edit source]
Dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system can lead to a variety of clinical conditions, such as hypertension, heart failure, and anxiety disorders.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
Sympathetic nervous system Resources | |
---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD