part of the nervous system which controls involuntary bodily functions
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Autonomic nervous system Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries
Noun
1. the part of the nervous system of vertebrates that controls involuntary actions of the smooth muscles and heart and glands
(synonym) ANS
(hypernym) neural structure
(part-holonym) nervous system, systema nervosum
(part-meronym) autonomic ganglion
Autonomic nervous system Definition from Medicine Dictionaries & Glossaries
That part
of the nervous system that controls involuntary
muscles, such as the heart. It uses chemicals, such
as catecholamines, to send messages from the
brain to the heart. With age, the body’s response to
cathecholamines withers.
Source: National Institute on Aging
those efferent parts of the nervous system that are not under voluntary control. It consists of two main parts, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system.
The part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary vital functions, including the activity of the cardiac (heart) muscle, smooth muscles (e.g., of the gut), and glands. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions: the sympathetic nervous system accelerates heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure; the parasympathetic nervous system slows heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles.
National MS Society at www.nationalmssociety.org Demos Medical Publishing at www.demosmedpub.com
Part of the nervous system once thought functionally independent of the brain. The autonomic nervous system regulates key functions including the activity of the cardiac (heart) muscle, smooth muscles (e.g., of the gut), and glands. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions: (1) the sympathetic nervous system that accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure; and (2) the parasympathetic nervous system slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles.
adjective
which governs itself independently
autonomic nervous system = nervous system formed of ganglia linked to the spinal column, which regulates the automatic functioning of the main organs of the body, such as the heart and lungs, and which works when a person is asleep or even unconscious
see also PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM, SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
which governs itself independently
autonomic nervous system = nervous system formed of ganglia linked to the spinal column, which regulates the automatic functioning of the main organs of the body, such as the heart and lungs, and which works when a person is asleep or even unconscious
see also PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM, SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM
the branch of the nervous system that primarily controls non-voluntary bodily processes such as heartbeat, intestinal motility and non-endocrine gland secretion. The ANS has two branches, sympathetic and parasympathetic.
AegisAutonomic nervous system Definition from Entertainment & Music Dictionaries & Glossaries
Autonomic nervous system Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries
The autonomic nervous system (ANS or visceral nervous system or involuntary nervous system) is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system functioning largely below the level of consciousness, and controls visceral functions. The ANS affects heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, salivation, perspiration, pupillary dilation, micturition (urination), and sexual arousal. Whereas most of its actions are involuntary, some, such as breathing, work in tandem with the conscious mind. The ANS is located in the medulla oblongata which is then divided into the rcc(respiratory control centre) the ccc(cardiac control centre) and the vmc(vasomotor centre). These then subdivide into other areas. The ccc to parasympathetic and sympathetic, the rcc to inspiratory control centre and expiratory control centre. It is classically divided into two subsystems: the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Relatively recently, a third subsystem of neurons that have been named 'non-adrenergic and non-cholinergic' neurons (because they use nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter) have been described and found to be integral in autonomic function, particularly in the gut and the lungs.
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