Ask a Teacher
'The sympathetic system and the parasympathetic system act like the accelerator and brake of a vehicle.' Is this statement is true? Why? |
The statement is true. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is a chief subdivision of the autonomic nervous system, which controls the function of body organs, blood vessels, and smooth muscles. Whereas most of the actions of the parasympathetic nervous system are automatic and involuntary, some, such as breathing, work in concert with the conscious mind. The sympathetic nervous system, which mediates the "fight or flight" response, the PNS functions when conditions do not require immediate action in a "digest and rest" response. In a complex homeostatic process, the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems act in opposing but concerted ways, much like the accelerator and brakes of an automobile, to keep vital body functions balanced. |