| autonomic part | <anatomy> Neurons that are not under conscious control, comprising two antagonistic components, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. 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 that accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure. 2. The parasympathetic nervous system slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles. (03 Jul 1999) |
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| autonomic pathways | Nerves and plexuses of the autonomic nervous system. The central nervous system structures which regulate the autonomic nervous system are not included. (12 Dec 1998) |
| autonomic plexuses | Plexus's of nerves in relation to blood vessels and viscera, the component fibres of which are sympathetic, parasympathetic, and sensory. Synonym: plexus autonomici. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ganglia, autonomic | Clusters of neurons and their processes in the autonomic nervous system. In the autonomic ganglia, the preganglionic fibres from the central nervous system synapse onto the neurons whose axons are the postganglionic fibres innervating target organs. The ganglia also contain intrinsic neurons and supporting cells and preganglionic fibres passing through to other ganglia. (12 Dec 1998) |
| ganglia of autonomic plexuses | Autonomic ganglia lying in plexuses of autonomic fibres, e.g., the coeliac and inferior mesenteric ganglia of the sympathetic, and the small parasympathetic ganglia of the myenteric plexus. Synonym: ganglia plexuum autonomicorum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| gastric plexuses of autonomic system | The plexus's along the greater and lesser curvatures of the stomach derived from the coeliac plexus; also known as inferior and superior plexus. Synonym: plexus gastrici systematis autonomici. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pulmonary branch of autonomic nervous system | Pulmonary branches of cardiac plexuses and cardiaopulmonary splanchnic nerves. Synonym: rami pulmonales systematis autonomici. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 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) |