Which part of the nervous system is activated in times of stress quizlet?

In response to acute changes in blood pressure, the body responds through the baroreceptors located within blood vessels. Baroreceptors are a form of mechanoreceptor that become activated by the stretching of the vessel. This sensory information is conveyed to the central nervous system and used to influence peripheral vascular resistance and cardiac output.

There are two forms of baroreceptors.

High-Pressure Baroreceptors

Two baroreceptors are located within the high-pressure arterial system.

• The carotid baroreceptor responds to both increases and decreases in blood pressure and sends afferent signals via the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX).

• The aortic arch baroreceptor responds only to increases in blood pressure, sending its signals through the vagus nerve (CN X).

These both send signals in response to the physical distortion of the vessel. The stretch of the vessel leads to an increase in action potential relayed from the sensory endings located in the tunica adventitia of the artery. These action potentials get transmitted to the solitary nucleus that signals to autonomic neurons secrete hormones to affect the cardiovascular system. Activation of the aortic baroreceptor during increases in blood pressure effectively inhibits the efferent sympathetic nerve response.[5] On the other hand, if an individual’s blood pressure were to fall such as in hypovolemic shock, the rate of action potential from the baroreceptors would be decreased due to reduced depolarization; this would lead to reduced inhibition of sympathetic activity, resulting in a reflex to increase pressure.

Low-Pressure Baroreceptors

These baroreceptors are present within the low-pressure venous system. They exist within large veins, pulmonary vessels, and within the walls of the right atrium and ventricle. The venous system has compliance approximately 30 times greater than that of the arterial system [6]. Changes in volume largely influence the baroreceptors in the venous system. Decreased frequency in action potentials in low-pressure scenarios leads to the secretion of antidiuretic hormone, renin, and aldosterone. These lead to a downstream effect to regulate arterial pressure.

Antidiuretic Hormone

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), also known as vasopressin, is a hormone synthesized in the magnocellular neurosecretory cells within the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus. ADH is synthesized and released in response to multiple triggers which are:

1. High serum osmolarity, which acts on osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus

2. Low blood volume causes a decreased stretch in the low-pressure baroreceptors, leading to the production of ADH

3. Decreased blood pressure causes decreased stretch in the high-pressure baroreceptors, also leading to the production of ADH

The antidiuretic hormone produced in the hypothalamus makes its way down the pituitary stalk to the posterior pituitary where it is kept in reserve for release in response to the above-listed triggers. ADH mainly functions to increase free water reabsorption in the collecting duct of the nephrons within the kidney, causing an increase in plasma volume and arterial pressure. ADH in high concentrations has also been shown to cause moderate vasoconstriction, increasing peripheral resistance, and arterial pressure.[7][8]

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS)

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is an essential regulator of arterial blood pressure. The system relies on several hormones that act to increase blood volume and peripheral resistance. It begins with the production and release of renin from juxtaglomerular cells of the kidney. They respond to decreased blood pressure, sympathetic nervous system activity, and reduced sodium levels within the distal convoluted tubules of the nephrons. In response to these triggers, renin is released from the juxtaglomerular cells and enters the blood where it comes in contact with angiotensinogen which is produced continuously by the liver. The angiotensinogen is converted into angiotensin I by renin. The angiotensin I then make its way to the pulmonary vessels, where the endothelium produces the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Angiotensin I is then converted to angiotensin II by ACE. Angiotensin II has many functions to increase arterial pressure, including:

• Potent vasoconstriction of arterioles throughout the body

• Vasoconstriction of the efferent arterioles within the glomerulus of the kidney, resulting in the maintenance of glomerular filtration rate

• Increased sodium reabsorption within the kidney tubules - the increased sodium reabsorption from the kidney tubules results in passive reabsorption of water through osmosis; this causes an increase in blood volume and arterial pressure

• The release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) release from the posterior pituitary gland

• The release of aldosterone from the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex within the adrenal gland

  • Aldosterone functions to increase the arterial pressure through the upregulation of Na+/K+ pumps of the distal convoluted tubule and collecting duct within the nephron

  • This activity is the distal convoluted tubule leads to increased reabsorption of sodium, as well as increased secretion of potassium

  • The increase in sodium reabsorption leads to passive reabsorption of water and an increase in blood pressure

    Which part of the nervous system is activated in times of stress?

    The autonomic nervous system has a direct role in physical response to stress and is divided into the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). When the body is stressed, the SNS contributes to what is known as the “fight or flight” response.

    What part of the nervous system is involved in stress quizlet?

    The sympathetic nervous system is the part of the autonomic nervous system, which is involved in preparing the body for stress-related activities, such as the fight or flight response.

    Which part of the body activates stress?

    Your brain activates your sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Stress hormones are released, preparing you to deal with the stressor. Your heart rate increases, muscles tense, breathing quickens, senses sharpen and immune functions increase.

    Which part of the body activates the stress response quizlet?

    When a stressor is present, the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system (SNS) arouses an animal to be ready for fight or flight.