The Parasympathetic Nervous System
Introduction:
The overall nervous system is made up of the Central Nervous System and the Peripheral Nervous System, with the autonomic nervous system being a division of the peripheral nervous system. The autonomic nervous system regulates glands as well as the smooth and cardiac muscle. There are three separate systems within the autonomic nervous system and are called the sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. They are responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ and ‘rest or digest’ responses. The sympathetic nervous system appears from the spinal cord while the parasympathetic nervous system emerge from the top and bottom segments of the spinal cord. From figure 1 it can be seen that while both …show more content…
The parasympathetic nervous system works by taking over the fight or flight responses of the nervous system. It supports activities that are related to storing energy rather than releasing it. These activities include salivation, increased blood flow to the gastrointestinal system and digestion while the sympathetic nervous system inhibits salivation and stimulates glucose release. After exercise the parasympathetic system facilitates an increase in blood flow to the stomach and a decrease in blood flow to the skeletal muscles. There is also an increased production of digestive enzymes that aid the absorption of nutrients. The main neurotransmitter linked to the parasympathetic nervous system is acetycholine, the levels of which rise after exercise and slows down the heart rate as the body is in an inactive …show more content…
In conclusion, the obese yet active children had less sympathetic and parasympathetic activities as compared to the children who were slender. This reduction may be due to the exercise inactivity of the children. It can be said that running, as an exercise in general can enhance the autonomic nervous system in the active children. The autonomic nervous system adapts its response according to activity level. For example, recreational athletes show sympathetic dominance while professional athletes exhibit parasympathetic dominance.
Hence it can be said that the sympathetic nervous system causes an increase in the heart rate and respiratory rate during exercise in addition to an increase in the levels of adrenaline, in order to faciltate the fight or flight mode. On the other hand the parasympathetic nervous system takes over the sympathetic nervous system after exercising as this is when the body is at
The overall nervous system is made up of the Central Nervous System and the Peripheral Nervous System, with the autonomic nervous system being a division of the peripheral nervous system. The autonomic nervous system regulates glands as well as the smooth and cardiac muscle. There are three separate systems within the autonomic nervous system and are called the sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. They are responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ and ‘rest or digest’ responses. The sympathetic nervous system appears from the spinal cord while the parasympathetic nervous system emerge from the top and bottom segments of the spinal cord. From figure 1 it can be seen that while both …show more content…
The parasympathetic nervous system works by taking over the fight or flight responses of the nervous system. It supports activities that are related to storing energy rather than releasing it. These activities include salivation, increased blood flow to the gastrointestinal system and digestion while the sympathetic nervous system inhibits salivation and stimulates glucose release. After exercise the parasympathetic system facilitates an increase in blood flow to the stomach and a decrease in blood flow to the skeletal muscles. There is also an increased production of digestive enzymes that aid the absorption of nutrients. The main neurotransmitter linked to the parasympathetic nervous system is acetycholine, the levels of which rise after exercise and slows down the heart rate as the body is in an inactive …show more content…
In conclusion, the obese yet active children had less sympathetic and parasympathetic activities as compared to the children who were slender. This reduction may be due to the exercise inactivity of the children. It can be said that running, as an exercise in general can enhance the autonomic nervous system in the active children. The autonomic nervous system adapts its response according to activity level. For example, recreational athletes show sympathetic dominance while professional athletes exhibit parasympathetic dominance.
Hence it can be said that the sympathetic nervous system causes an increase in the heart rate and respiratory rate during exercise in addition to an increase in the levels of adrenaline, in order to faciltate the fight or flight mode. On the other hand the parasympathetic nervous system takes over the sympathetic nervous system after exercising as this is when the body is at