Question

What changes will the sympathetic nervous system of a rabbit initiate when the rabbit is being chased by a coyote? check all that apply?

Answer 1

The correct answer is: decrease motility in the intestine, dilate bronchioles in lungs, dilate pupils, secrete epinephrine, and speed up heartbeat.

Being chased by a coyote constitutes a highly stressful and threatening situation for the rabbit. This means that the rabbit's physiology will adapt and the body will get prepared for action, that is to run and avoid the coyote.
This response is called an acute stress response (also called fight or flight response) and includes a hormonal cascade. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for the regulation of this response.

All of the changes in the sympathetic nervous system are an effort to boost the body with the necessary energy to run as fast as possible. Some of these adaptations include the dilation the lungs' bronchioles and the speeding up of the heartbeat, in order to accelerate the lung and heart action. Also, the motility of the intestine is decreased to a point where digestion nearly stops, in order for the blood flow to support the muscular action. Finally, one part of the adrenal glands triggers the secretion catecholamines, meaning the norepinephrine and epinephrine hormones.