Sympathetic
Sympathetic
Sympathetic (pronunciation: sim-puh-thet-ik) is a term used in the field of medicine and biology to describe a part of the autonomic nervous system that typically acts in response to stress by accelerating the heart rate, constricting blood vessels, and raising blood pressure.
Etymology
The term "sympathetic" originates from the Greek words "syn" meaning "with" and "pathos" meaning "feeling". In the context of the autonomic nervous system, it refers to the system's function of responding to the body's emotional and physical states.
Related Terms
- Sympathetic nervous system: The part of the autonomic nervous system that serves to speed up the heart rate, constrict blood vessels, and raise blood pressure.
- Parasympathetic: The part of the autonomic nervous system that serves to slow the heart rate, increase intestinal and gland activity, and relax sphincter muscles.
- Autonomic nervous system: The part of the nervous system responsible for control of the bodily functions not consciously directed, such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes.
- Neuron: A specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.
- Neurotransmitter: Chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse.
See Also
References
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sympathetic
- Wikipedia's article - Sympathetic
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