close to organs. The
enteric lies inside the
digestive tube and can
operate independently of the sympathetic
and parasympathetic branches. This is
why it has been called
“the second brain.” An
excellent book by that
name came out a few
years ago that does a
great job describing
the anatomy and functioning of the enteric
system.
Functions of the ANS
The divisions of the ANS are seen by
many as antagonistic to each other.
What the sympathetic division does
the parasympathetic does the opposite. They are in fact complementary because they both have the same
goal which is to keep the body in
homeostasis. It is rare however, for
one’s state of balance to be perfect,
just as an airplane is never exactly
5
on course. The pilot is always adjusting to keep the plane on course and
so is the body. A few of the sympathetic systems responses include
constriction of sphincters, shunting
blood away from the intestinal tract,
inhibiting digestion and peristalsis,
increasing heart rate, dilating bronchioles of the lungs, and increasing
blood flow to muscles. These are all