What are the two parts of the autonomic nervous system?

What are the two parts of the autonomic nervous system?

• A. Cranial division and spinal division
• B. Somatic division and visceral division
• C. Enteric division and autonomic division
• D. Sympathetic division and parasympathetic division

Answer: (D)

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for regulating involuntary functions of internal organs and glands. It has two main divisions that usually work in opposition to keep the body in balance: the sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division. The sympathetic branch prepares the body for action—fight or flight—by increasing heart rate, dilating airways, and redirecting blood to muscles. The parasympathetic branch promotes rest and digestion—rest-and-digest activities like slowing the heart rate, constricting pupils, and stimulating digestion. They share the goal of maintaining homeostasis, often exerting opposite effects to fine-tune bodily functions. Some sources mention the enteric nervous system as a separate gut-focused network, but the standard two-part classification most often tested is sympathetic and parasympathetic.

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for regulating involuntary functions of internal organs and glands. It has two main divisions that usually work in opposition to keep the body in balance: the sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division. The sympathetic branch prepares the body for action—fight or flight—by increasing heart rate, dilating airways, and redirecting blood to muscles. The parasympathetic branch promotes rest and digestion—rest-and-digest activities like slowing the heart rate, constricting pupils, and stimulating digestion. They share the goal of maintaining homeostasis, often exerting opposite effects to fine-tune bodily functions. Some sources mention the enteric nervous system as a separate gut-focused network, but the standard two-part classification most often tested is sympathetic and parasympathetic.