Autonomic nervous system
Division of the nervous system supplying internal organs, smooth muscle and glands
Autonomic nervous system
The autonomic nervous system (ANS), sometimes called the visceral nervous system and formerly the vegetative nervous system, is a division of the nervous system that operates internal organs, smooth muscle and glands. The autonomic nervous system is a control system that acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions, such as the heart rate, its force of contraction, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response, urination, and sexual arousal. The autonomic nervous system has historically been branched into three divisions based on which organs and functions are being controlled by each system. This includes the enteric nervous system, which regulates the gastrointestinal tract, the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system, which are responsible for, among other things, stimulation of the "rest and digest" and the fight-or-flight response (or "acute stress response"), respectively. In literature, the acronyms ENS, PSNS and SNS or SANS(where the A stands...
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