autonomic nervous system

Examples of autonomic nervous system in the following topics:

• Introduction to the Nervous System

  • The nervous system can be divided into two major parts—the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
  • The PNS can be further subdivided into the autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system.
  • The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary actions such as internal-organ function and blood-vessel movement.
  • The autonomic nervous system is made of two components, which work in opposition to one another: the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the body's "fight-or-flight" response to danger, and the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body back down.
  • The nervous system of the human body, including the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) and all the nerves of the body (peripheral nervous system).

• Biology of Emotion

  • The limbic system, autonomic nervous system, and reticular activating system interact in the processing of emotion.
  • The limbic system, autonomic nervous system, and reticular activating system all interact to assist the body in experiencing and processing emotions.
  • It has connections with the hypothalamus and various areas of the brainstem and regulates the activity of the autonomic nervous and endocrine systems (Pessoa, 2010).
  • The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is part of the peripheral nervous system in humans.
  • The ANS can be further subdivided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

• The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

  • The peripheral nervous system connects the central nervous system to environmental stimuli to gather sensory input and create motor output.
  • The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is one of the two major components of the body's nervous system.
  • The PNS can also be divided into two separate systems: the autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system.
  • The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary and unconscious actions, such as internal-organ function, breathing, digestion, and heartbeat.
  • The human nervous system, including both the central nervous system (in red: brain, brain stem, and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (in blue: all other neurons and receptors).

• Defining Emotion

  • Emotions follow complex biological processes that include several bodily systems.
  • The limbic system includes the amygdala and the hippocampus and functions as the brain’s emotional circuit.
  • The autonomic nervous system (ANS) and reticular activating system (RAS) also play an important role in the experiencing and processing of emotions.

• Conscious vs. Unconscious Emotion

  • The cognition of danger and subsequent arousal of the nervous system (e.g. rapid heartbeat and breathing, sweating, muscle tension) is an integral component to the subsequent interpretation and labeling of that arousal as an emotional state.
  • The limbic system is a complex set of brain structures that includes the hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and other nearby areas of the brain .
  • The autonomic nervous system, and more specifically the sympathetic nervous system, processes the information and produces reactionary behavior.

• Neurotransmitters

  • There are several systems of neurotransmitters found at various synapses in the nervous system.
  • The cholinergic system is a neurotransmitter system of its own, and is based on the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh).
  • This system is found in the autonomic nervous system, as well as distributed throughout the brain.
  • Each amino acid neurotransmitter is its own system, namely the glutamatergic, GABAergic, and glycinergic systems.
  • The brain includes several distinct dopamine systems, one of which plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior.

• Lower-Level Structures

  • It is home to the limbic system, which is considered the seat of emotion in the human brain.
  • The thalamus is part of the limbic system.
  • However, the importance of this structure on the regulation of emotional behavior is not due to the activity of the thalamus itself, but to the connections between the thalamus and other limbic-system structures.
  • The shark brain diverged on the evolutionary tree from the human brain, but both still have the "old" structures of the hindbrain and midbrain dedicated to autonomic bodily processes.
  • An image of the brain showing the limbic system in relation to the brain stem and spinal cord.

• Development of the Human Brain

  • The human brain is one of the most complex systems on earth.
  • The brain and the spinal cord make up the central nervous system, which alongside the peripheral nervous system is responsible for regulating all bodily functions.
  • It includes the cerebellum, reticular formation, and brain stem, which are responsible for some of the most basic autonomic functions of life, such as breathing and movement.
  • All sensory and motor information that travels between the forebrain and the spinal cord passes through the midbrain, making it a relay station for the central nervous system.
  • The forebrain is the most anterior division of the developing vertebrate brain, containing the most complex networks in the central nervous system.

• Intro to the Central Nervous System

• The Central Nervous System (CNS)

  • The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord, which process sensory input and provide instructions to the body.
  • The central nervous system (CNS) is one of the two major subdivisions of the nervous system.
  • Together with the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the CNS performs fundamental functions that contribute to an organism's life and behavior.
  • The nervous system has three main functions: gathering sensory information from external stimuli, synthesizing that information, and responding to those stimuli.
  • The three major components of the central nervous system: 1) the brain, 2) brain stem, and 3) spinal cord.