Structure And Function Of Autonomic Nervous System – The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a component of the nervous system responsible for regulating involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, and pupillary response.

It consists of two main divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, which often work in opposition to maintain the body’s internal balance or homeostasis.

Structure And Function Of Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is part of the peripheral nervous system and controls vital functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and digestion.

The Peripheral Nervous System

It is also involved in the acute stress response, where it works with the endocrine system to prepare the body for fight or flight. It can be further subdivided into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.

The ANS relays information to and from the body’s internal organs such as the liver and lungs. It operates automatically and is generally considered to be outside the realm of voluntary control.

The ANS, therefore, differs from the somatic nervous system (another branch of the peripheral nervous system) in that this system is concerned with the control of voluntary body movements. Although most of the functions of the ANS are automatic, they can nevertheless work in conjunction with the somatic nervous system.

The ANS is important for body regulation and essential for maintaining homeostasis. This means balancing the conditions and functions of the body that are necessary for life.

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Examples of functions controlled by the ANS are salivation, sweating, changing pupil size, heart rate management, crying, and hormone secretion.

More recently, the ANS has been thought to be associated with emotions. ANS activation was found when people responded to positive and negative emotions (Shiota et al., 2011). Below is a list of some of the functions of ANS:

The hypothalamus, located just above the brainstem, receives autonomic regulatory input from the limbic system (a group of structures deep in the brain associated with functions such as memory, emotion, and fear). The hypothalamus uses this input to control much of the ANS activity.

There are three branches in the ANS. the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system.

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The two systems have complementary functions, working in tandem to maintain body homeostasis. Nerves in the sympathetic nervous system help prepare the body for something happening in the environment and expend energy.

The nerves in the parasympathetic nervous system work mostly by regulating the body’s functions when it is at rest, controlling mostly “quieter” activities.

The sympathetic nervous system is involved in reactions that help us deal with emergencies. It slows down bodily processes that are less important in emergency situations, such as digestion.

For example, if the temperature of a room is warm, the sympathetic system will encourage the body to sweat in response to this change.

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For example, walking home alone on a dark street can be scary for many people. While walking, your pupils may dilate, your heart rate may increase, and you may sweat.

This response to a stressful situation is caused by the release of large amounts of the neurotransmitter epinephrine from the adrenal glands. Once this excitatory neurotransmitter is released, it activates the body’s automatic responses.

The purpose of stimulating these bodily responses is to prepare the individual to either flee or fight in dangerous situations. Although the sympathetic nervous system was used evolutionarily in life-threatening situations, modern life and mental health can also trigger this response.

Work stress, financial worries, and relationship problems are examples of when the sympathetic nervous system can produce this stress response.

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Similarly, those with anxiety disorders and phobias experience high amounts of epinephrine, resulting in the same autonomic responses as in life-threatening situations.

The parasympathetic nervous system relaxes the individual once the emergency has passed (eg slows heart rate and lowers blood pressure) and maintains the body’s physical activity by reducing/maintaining activity.

The parasympathetic nervous system is associated with returning the body to resting functions such as heart rate regulation, muscle relaxation, and bladder control. This makes the parasympathetic nervous system important in supporting homeostasis.

The parasympathetic nervous system can also act once a threatening situation is over. For example, when you walk home alone at night, the body relaxes once it returns home and the threatening situation is over.

Overview Of The Autonomic Nervous System

The pupils will constrict, the heart rate will return to a resting rate, and sweating will decrease or stop. The parasympathetic system is therefore important in ensuring that we return to normal after a stressful situation.

Without this system, the body will be constantly on alert, draining all energy and this can lead to chronic stress.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a branch of the ANS that functions independently of the central nervous system. This system consists of neurons that are confined to the gastrointestinal tract (also known as the gut).

The neurons that make up the enteric system are responsible for controlling the motor functions of the system as well as for the secretion of enzymes within the gastrointestinal tract. The types of neurons within the intestinal system as sensory, motor and interneurons.

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Neurons within this system communicate through several neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. Neuronal circuits within this system are also capable of controlling local blood flow and regulating immune functions.

Autonomic Dysfunction Autonomic Dysfunction or dysautonomia is a condition in which the autonomic nervous system (ANS) does not function properly.

In developed countries, the most common cause of problems with the ANS is diabetes (Bishop, 2010). However, other reasons may be due to hereditary reasons, aging, Parkinson’s disease, cancer or chronic fatigue syndrome. Other reasons can be caused to someone through head damage, neck nerve damage, alcohol and drug abuse, or infections.

If someone thinks they may have a problem with their ANS, they may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

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Autonomic neuropathy refers to damage to the autonomic nerves. These are disorders that may affect the sympathetic nerves, the parasympathetic nerves, or both.

Features of autonomic neuropathy include a constant heart rate, constipation, abnormal sweating, reduced pupil size, and absent or delayed light reflexes (Bankenahally & Krovvidi, 2016).

Let’s say they are experiencing the above symptoms and a person wants to know if this is related to their ANS being dysfunctional.

In this case, several tests can be done, depending on the symptom presented. For example, if you are experiencing abnormal heart rhythms, a doctor may use an electrocardiogram to measure the electrical activity within the heart.

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Blood pressure monitors can also check if blood pressure is abnormally high or low. Sweat tests can assess whether your sweat glands are working properly.

This involves using electrodes to stimulate the glands and measuring the volumes of sweat produced when a stimulus is presented. Pupillary light reflex tests can also be used to determine how sensitive the pupils are to changes in light and whether they are responding appropriately.

These types of physical exams are needed if someone thinks they may have a problem with their ANS. Usually, if there is a problem, it can take a lot of trial and error of a lot of tests to diagnose a condition.

Whether you can treat a dysfunctional ANS, again, depends on the type of diagnosis given. For example, if the cause of the dysfunction is due to diabetes, blood sugar control will be the primary treatment.

Peripheral Nervous System

In many cases, treating the underlying disease (if present) can allow damaged nerves within the ANS to repair and regenerate. It could be that lifestyle changes are recommended by a doctor to treat ANS dysfunction.

This could be by exercising more often, modifying eating habits or diet, cutting back on caffeine or taking vitamin supplements. Drug therapies have also been shown to be effective in treating or managing ANS dysfunction.

This may include medicines used to lower blood pressure and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to help control pain (especially for fibromyalgia). Similarly, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can help with anxiety symptoms and have been shown to help restore balance to the ANS.

The parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for returning the body to a state of relaxation and recovery after an emergency or stress.

Examples Of Autonomic Nervous System Pathways

It counteracts the effects of the sympathetic division, which initiates the “fight or flight” response during an emergency. The parasympathetic system promotes “rest and digest” functions, restoring balance and conserving energy.

The enteric division of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) can function independently without being stimulated by the central nervous system. It mainly manages the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, including digestion and motility, and can function autonomously as well as communicate with the central nervous system.

The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system prepares the body for action in stressful situations, often referred to as the “fight or flight” response. It increases the heart rate, dilates the airways, and redirects blood flow to the muscles, among other responses, to prepare the body for immediate action.

Saul Mcleod, Ph.D., is a qualified professor of psychology with over 18 years’ experience in further and higher education. She has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

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Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and editor of Simply Psychology. He has previously worked in the healthcare and education sectors. Your autonomic nervous system is a network of nerves throughout your body that control unconscious processes. These are things that happen without you thinking about them, like your breathing and your heart

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