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.
Division of the Nervous system that will handle body’s after dinner activities:
- Parasympathetic Nervous System
Organs Involved: Heart, Liver, Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Lungs, and Gallbladder
Major nerve supply to each organ: Heart (Cardiac plexus), Liver (Sympathetic & Parasympathetic nerves), Stomach (Vagus nerve), Small Intestine (Vagus nerve), Large Intestine (Enteric and Autonomic nerves), Lungs (Pulmonary plexus), Gallbladder (Vagus nerve)
Effects of the nervous system on their functions: Heart – lower heart rate, Liver – Increase in bile secretion, Stomach together with small and large intestine – Stimulate digestions, Lungs – tightens bronchi, Gallbladder – increase in contraction
2. Your friend is driving home from work, listening to her favorite music, when suddenly a bicycle came out of nowhere. She manages to swerve avoiding hitting the bicycle. She continued to drive home but she noticed that her heart is beating fast, she had goose bumps, and her heads were sweaty. How would you explain these effects?
The effects were caused by the involuntary response of the sympathetic nervous system. The hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands. These glands respond by pumping the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) into the bloodstream causing the activation of fight-or-flight response.
Reference:
Understanding the stress response. Harvard Health. (2020, July 6). Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response