autonomic nervous system
nounDefinition of autonomic nervous system
: a part of the vertebrate nervous system that innervates smooth and cardiac muscle and glandular tissues and governs involuntary actions (such as secretion and peristalsis) and that consists of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
Examples of autonomic nervous system in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition to controlling your body’s involuntary processes, your autonomic nervous system also affects your flight or fight response, which can get activated in response to nerves. — Alison Goldman, SELF, "7 Possible Reasons Your Hands Are Shaking," 21 May 2018 This is the largest nerve of the autonomic nervous system - extending from the brain to the colon - and plays a key role in heart, lung and digestive function. — Carrie Dennett, chicagotribune.com, "Could walking barefoot on grass improve your health? Some science suggests it can.," 11 July 2018 The study outlines other health consequences posed by exposure to air pollution, including inflammation and complications in the autonomic nervous system, which controls unconscious bodily functions like heartbeats and breathing. — Hannah Holzer, sacbee, "Air pollution increases risk for type 2 diabetes, study finds," 12 July 2018 Sleep is a cornerstone of your health, and not getting enough (that’s at least seven hours a night for people 18 and over) can greatly affect your autonomic nervous system (ANS). — Alison Goldman, SELF, "7 Possible Reasons Your Hands Are Shaking," 21 May 2018 Jan Laman Craig, wife of the late H. Rex Craig, who was head of Glendale Community College, passed away March 10 in Altadena of a degenerative disorder of the autonomic nervous system. — Mark Kellam, latimes.com, "Jan Craig, wife of former head of Glendale Community College, dies," 13 Apr. 2018 He was knighted in 1975 for his work in researching the failures of the autonomic nervous system. — Chris Chavez, SI.com, "By Breaking the Four-Minute Mile, Roger Bannister Showed Limits Only Exist in Our Minds," 4 Mar. 2018 Hopkins, also an artist, suffers from dysautonomia, which involves the autonomic nervous system, causing fainting, cardiovascular issues and breathing problems. — Jennifer Conn, Akron Reporter, cleveland.com, "Artist, disabled advocate creates Akron's 1st All Abilities Art Expo at Unitarian Universalist Church," 26 Feb. 2018 Your heart is connected with your pancreas via the autonomic nervous system. — Sy Mukherjee, Fortune, "Brainstorm Health: New Zealand's HIV Prevention Plan, Apple Watch Diabetes Study, FDA Vs Kratom," 7 Feb. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'autonomic nervous system.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on autonomic nervous system
What made you want to look up autonomic nervous system? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz
-
- Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz
Words to improve your Scrabble game
Take the quiz -
Which Came First? Quiz
Do you know which word is older?
Take the quiz -
Name That Thing
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
Take the quiz -
Bee Cubed
Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.
Play the game
Share autonomic nervous system
Resources for autonomic nervous system