Fight or flight

Answer 1

The entire Nervous system in the body, breaks down into smaller "systems" containing special nerves with special functions.

The body's fight or flight response is a natural defense mechanism controlled by the Sympathetic nerves in our nervous system.

The job of the Sympathetic nerves is to raise our heart rate, blood pressure and so forth when we are faced with a stressful situation.

These changes in the body will "tell" the body how to respond to emotions that are running high during a situation that is stressful past the point of "normal".

Do we stay and "fight" this situation or do we remove ourselves from this situation (flight)

Think of "Sympathetic" as the body "feeling sorry for you", having sympathy for you when you are under a lot of stress".

< SYMPATHETIC = SYMPATHY >

The changes that occur will eventually need to return to normal.

The heart rate will need to decrease, and blood pressure return to a normal level.

The nerves that will accomplish this, after this stressful situation is over, are called the Parasympathetic nerves.

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These nerves are part of what is called the AUTONOMICNERVOUS SYSTEM.

Remember: If our heart rate - blood pressure, anything like this changes in the body, it is an AUTOMATIC response, as in INVOLUNTARY.

(The smaller system controlling voluntary movements is the SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM)

The breakdown of the entire system contains:

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, which is the Brain & Spinal Cord.

The PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM containing the nerves. (2 main types)

* AFFERENT Nerves which are sensory nerves. * transfers "sensory" information * EFFERENT Nerves which are motor nerves. * transfers "motor" information

The Peripheral Nervous System (above) contains the

SOMATIC & AUTONOMIC SYSTEMS.

(the "smaller" systems discussed above)

The Autonomic System contains your Sympathetic & Parasympathetic Nerves.

The functions of the Nervous system as a whole are to:

# COLLECT information (Nerves - Peripheral Nervous system) # TRANSFER this information (Spinal Cord - Central Nervous system) # ANALYZE this information (Brain - Central Nervous System)

Answer 2

adrenaline