Anatomy & Physiology › Section M · Somatic and autonomic nervous systems › Topic M.4
Divisions of the autonomic nervous system
Your heart rate, pupil size, sweating and digestion are adjusted every moment without a single conscious decision. Two divisions of the autonomic nervous system share that work, and their wiring and chemistry explain why one acts body-wide in seconds while the other works organ by organ.
In this topic
- Two neurons to the target
- The sympathetic division: thoracolumbar outflow
- Three sympathetic routes
- The adrenal medulla
- Worked example: tracing three sympathetic routes
- The parasympathetic division: craniosacral outflow
- Chemical signals and their receptors
- Worked example: naming each chemical
- Fight or flight, rest and digest
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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