EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Your sympathetic nervous system is a network of nerves that helps your body activate its “fight-or-flight” response. This system’s activity increases when you’re stressed, in danger or physically active.

Detailed explanation-2: -Thus, the sympathetic division increases heart rate and the force of heart contractions and widens (dilates) the airways to make breathing easier. It causes the body to release stored energy. Muscular strength is increased. This division also causes palms to sweat, pupils to dilate, and hair to stand on end.

Detailed explanation-3: -The sympathetic nervous system exerts a predominantly inhibitory effect upon GI muscle and provides a tonic inhibitory influence over mucosal secretion while, at the same time, regulates GI blood flow via neurally mediated vasoconstriction.

Detailed explanation-4: -The sympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system, along with its counterpart, parasympathetic nervous system. The origin of the sympathetic nervous system is found within the thoracic and lumbar segments of the spinal cord also known as the thoracolumbar division (T1 to L2, 3).

Detailed explanation-5: -The autonomic nervous system is a component of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary physiologic processes including heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, and sexual arousal. It contains three anatomically distinct divisions: sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric.