Among vertebrates, the network of sensory receptors is a times connected and regulated unconsciously. The process by which an organism’s nervous system is controlled and regulated without their conscious recognition is called the autonomous nervous system. The present essay sets out to provide a brief description of the autonomous nervous system.
Reference to the research of Mancia and Grassi (2014) reveals that the autonomic nervous system consists of two antagonistic nerves. These include the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. As Mancia and Grassi (2014) observe, the sympathetic nervous system connects the brain to the internal nerves through the spinal nerves. This system is particularly important because when it is triggered, it prepares the body for stressful conditions hence initiating a fight or flight response. According to Florea and Cohn (2014), an increased heartbeat is an unconscious process that is performed by the sympathetic system.
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During the sympathetic system, blood flows vigorously into the muscles. At this point, a minimal amount of blood flows into the skin (Mancia & Grassi, 2014). The parasympathetic system majorly uses the nerves in the head to perform its functions. As an antagonistic process to the sympathetic system, the parasympathetic process often involves secretion of digestive substances that increase the rate of digestion. Florea and Cohn (2014) observe that parasympathetic reduces an organism’s heartbeat hence slowing down the rate of stress. From this description, it is evident that whereas sympathetic system triggers increase heartbeat, the parasympathetic lowers this process thus reducing blood flow into the muscles.
In conclusion, this essay has explicated the autonomic nervous system. It is clear that there are certain unconscious sensory connections that occur among vertebrates. These connections consist of sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Researchers agree that the two systems are antagonistic because they operate in opposite ways.
References
Florea, V. G., & Cohn, J. N. (2014). The autonomic nervous system and heart failure. Circulation Research , 114 (11), 1815-1826.
Mancia, G., & Grassi, G. (2014). The autonomic nervous system and hypertension. Circulation Research , 114 (11), 1804-1814.
