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.
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Eyes
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Oculomotor nerve
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Constricts pupil for better distance vision
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Salivary glands
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Facial and glossopharyngeal nerve
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Stimulates salivation to improve digestion
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Heart
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Vagus nerve
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Maintains resting heart rate
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Lungs and Bronchi
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Vagus nerve
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Controls pulmonary functions and regulates respiration
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Stomach
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Vagus nerve
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Stimulates digestion and activates the production of bile
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Kidneys and Bladder
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Vagus nerve
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Inhibits adrenaline production and contracts bladder for renal function
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Liver
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Vagus nerve
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Regulates metabolic function, including glucose production
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Pancreas
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Vagus nerve
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Secretes digestive enzymes and insulin
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Gallbladder
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Vagus nerve
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Contributes variations in the pressure of the gallbladder and in the release of bile
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Intestines
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Vagus nerve
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Manages absorption, secretion, and contractions during digestion
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Anal Sphincter
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Vagus nerve
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Facilitates the process of defecation
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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?
Based on the details mentioned above, it appears that my friend was put in a stressful situation that triggered her sympathetic nervous system. This can be inferred from how her heart rate increased as a result of the adrenaline rush that she experienced due to her encounter with the bicycle, and her goosebumps, which is an involuntary reaction caused by tiny muscles that flex in the skin after a flight or fight situation. Besides these, she also became sweaty, which is a normal reaction of the body when the sweat glands are activated during a life-or-death circumstance.
Reference:
Han, S., et al. (2020). The Parasympathetic Nervous System Explained. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/parasympathetic-nervous-system#cranial-nerves.