9.1 General characteristics of the autonomic nervous system
9.2 Sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system
9.3 Parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system
9.4 Metasympathetic division of the autono-mic nervous system
9.5 Reflexes of the autonomic nervous system
9.6 Interaction between the divisions of the autonomic nervous system
9.7 The highest central regulation of auto-nomic functions
Profile materials Control questions Situational tasks
9.1. General characteristics of the autonomic nervous system
dividing the functions into vegetative functions the way it is done with plants such as growth, metabolism, reproduction, and animal (somatic) functions of skeletal muscles. I. Reil (1807) introduced the concept of the ?vegetative nervous system". C. Bernard considered it as a system of non-arbitrary innervation. J. Langley (1898) singled out the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric divisions, and proposed the name ?autonomic nervous system".
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a part of the nervous system that regulates the activity of internal organs, vascular lumen, metabolism, and provides for homeostasis and adaptation of the body.
Functional features of the ANS
The relative autonomy of the ANS is manifested in the possibility of regulating functions (in a less perfect form) while there is absolutely no communication with the central nervous system. The autonomy of the ANS is also shown by the low possibility of an arbitrary (conscious) regulation of the functions of the internal organs. However, this possibility can be significantly increased by using biofeedback or biocontrol technology.
The generalized nature of excitation in the efferent-effector department of the ANS is associated with excitation divergence processes and the features of its transmission in neuro-effector synapses.