Higher Levels of Autonomic Control
| Home | | Anatomy and Physiology | | Anatomy and Physiology Health Education (APHE) |Chapter: Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professionals: Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Levels of somatic nervous system (SNS) and PNS activity are linked to specific visceral functions that are regulated by areas of the brain stem.
Higher Levels
of Autonomic Control
Levels of somatic nervous system
(SNS) and PNS activity are linked to specific visceral functions that are
regulated by areas of the brain stem. Simple reflexes of the ANS that are based
in the spinal cord provide fast, automatic responses to stimuli. The medulla
oblongata has processing centers that coordinate more complex reflexes. Aside
from the cardiovascular and respiratory centers, the medulla oblongata also
influences diges-tive secretions, peristalsis, salivation, swallowing, and
urinary function. The medulla oblongata’s centers are regulated by the
hypothalamus. It was first believed that the visceral regulatory centers
operated autono-mously of other CNS activities. However, research has shown
that this is not true. The hypothalamus inter-acts with all other areas of the
brain. Therefore, limbic system activity and actions of the thalamus or
cerebral cortex can greatly affect autonomic function.
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