1. You have been to an 'eat all you can' buffet and have consumed large amounts of food. After returning home, you recline on the couch to watch television. Which division of the nervous system will be handling your body's after-dinner activities? List several organs involved, the major nerve supply to each organ, and the effects of the nervous system on their functions.
The PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM will be handling the body's after-dinner activities.
Organs Involved: heart, liver, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, lungs, and gall bladder.
Major nerve supply: Vagus Nerve (X)
Effects of the nervous system on their functions:
Heart- lowered heart rate
Liver- increased bile secretion
Stomach, small intestine, and large intestine- increased motility and increased gastric secretions for digestion
Lungs- tightened bronchi
Gall bladder- increased contraction
2. Your friend is driving home from work, listening to her favorite music, when suddenly a bicycle comes out of nowhere. She manages to swerve avoiding hitting the bicycle. She continued to drive home but she noticed that her heart was beating fast, she had goosebumps, and her head was sweaty. How would you explain these effects?
These effects are caused by our sympathetic nervous system's involuntary response after perceiving external stimuli as dangerous or life-threatening. Under stress conditions, the entire sympathetic nervous system is activated, producing an immediate widespread response called the fight-or-flight response.