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Copyright © 1997, Jay Ligda.  All rights reserved.  Published by Humans in the Universe and Jay Ligda.

The Spinal Column/Nervous System

      The nervous system is divided into two branches, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.  The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for response to emergency situations that trigger the fight-or-flight response .  The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for functions related to relaxation such as digestion, pupil dilation, constriction of breathing and heart rate.  Depending on the sensory input to the brain, the hypothalamus will either switch on the parasympathetic nervous system and allow for digestion and relaxation or it will shut off those functions and allow energy to be used for the emergency response of the sympathetic nervous system.  The nervous system relays messages through neurons with neurotransmitters.  The neurotransmitters are delivered to muscle cells via nerve fibers and stimulate behavior.

by Jay Ligda

(This work is a all or part of an original work first published/written for John. F. Kennedy University:  Final Integrative Project., Mar1996.)


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References

  • Martini, F. (1992).  The Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology. 2nd ed.  Englewood Cliffs, NJ:  Prentice-Hall.

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