AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION

Course overview

THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS) INCLUDES ALL REGIONS IMPLICATED IN THE CONTROL OF AUTONOMIC, UNCONSCIOUS, AND INVOLUNTARY FUNCTIONS IN TOTAL BODY HOMEOSTASIS. IN GENERAL, THE FULL RANGE OF PHYSIOLOGIC FUNCTIONS ARE ULTIMATELY NECESSARY FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL AND ALLOW US TO INTERACT WITH THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT IN A WIDE RANGE OF CONDITIONS. TOGETHER WITH THE SLOW-ACTING, LONG-LASTING EFFECTS OF THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM, THE ANS EXERTS ITS FAST-ACTING, SHORT-LIVED EFFECTS ON THE MOST DIVERSE FUNCTIONS OF THE BODY, CONTROLLING VISCERAL SMOOTH MUSCLE ACTIVATION IN VASCULAR BEDS AND OTHER TUBULAR ORGANS AND SECRETION OF GLANDS THROUGHOUT. IN THIS ACTIVITY WE WILL SHARE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THESE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS IN HEALTH AND HOW ITS MALFUNCTION AFFECTS DAILY LIFE.