A man feels anxious and frightened because he senses that someone is following him home. Once he safely reaches home and locks t
he door, his heart and respiratory rate slow. Which parts of the nervous system were activated during these events, and in which order?1. Sympathetic; parasympathetic2. Parasympathetic; sympathetic3. Sensory somatic; autonomic4. Autonomic; sensory somatic
When the person is under stress and scared, the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is activated. This activated nervous system triggers the release of stress hormones from the adrenal gland and generates flight or fight response. During this response, the heartbeat and breathing rate of the person is increased, pupils become dilated and the blood supply to skeletal muscles is increased.
Once the person is out of danger and reached home, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. It inhibits the physiological responses generated by the sympathetic division and slows down the breathing and heart rate. The activated parasympathetic division triggers digestion and absorption of nutrients to restore the energy levels of the cells.
