Control of the ANS definitions Flashcards
BackControl of the ANS definitions
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Terms in this set (15)
- HypothalamusCentral brain structure controlling autonomic functions like heart rate and digestion, directing parasympathetic and sympathetic activities.
- Parasympathetic activityPart of the autonomic nervous system responsible for maintaining homeostasis, often associated with rest and digestion.
- Sympathetic activityPart of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for stress-related activities, often linked to fight or flight responses.
- BrainstemActs as a relay center between the brain and spinal cord, containing nuclei that help control autonomic functions.
- Reticular formationNetwork of neurons and nuclei regulating skeletal and visceral muscle activity, influencing autonomic functions.
- Limbic systemGroup of brain structures involved in processing emotional stimuli and memory, including the thalamus and amygdala.
- AmygdalaPart of the limbic system involved in processing emotions, particularly fear and threat-related stimuli.
- HippocampusBrain structure involved in storing long-term and emotional memories, part of the limbic system.
- HomeostasisThe body's process of maintaining a stable internal environment, largely managed by parasympathetic activity.
- Efferent pathwayNerve pathway that carries commands from the central nervous system to effector organs.
- Prefrontal cortexBrain region involved in conscious processing of emotions and decision-making during stress responses.
- Fight or flightPhysiological response to perceived threats, activating sympathetic nervous system to prepare for action.
- Cerebral cortexOuter layer of the brain involved in complex functions like perception, thought, and decision-making.
- NucleiClusters of neurons in the brainstem that help regulate autonomic functions.
- Visceral muscleMuscle tissue associated with internal organs, regulated by the autonomic nervous system.