| pulmonary branch of autonomic nervous system | Pulmonary branches of cardiac plexuses and cardiaopulmonary splanchnic nerves. Synonym: rami pulmonales systematis autonomici. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| nervous system, autonomic | Part of the nervous system once thought functionally independent of the brain. The autonomic nervous system regulates key functions including the activity of the cardiac (heart) muscle, smooth muscles (e.g., of the gut), and glands. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions: (1) the sympathetic nervous system, which accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure; and (2) the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles. (12 Dec 1998) |
| neuropathies, hereditary sensory and autonomic | A group of inherited disorders in which there is selective involvement of the peripheral sensory and autonomic neurons and degeneration of fibres by axonal atrophy and degeneration. Five types of disorders have been described and classified type I through type v. (12 Dec 1998) |