autonomic nervous system

autonomic nervous system   n.  The part of the vertebrate nervous system that regulates involuntary action, as of the intestines, heart, and glands, and that is divided into the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

autonomic nervous system [(aw-tuh-nom-ik)]

The part of the nervous system that controls involuntary functions of the body (those not controlled consciously), such as digestion, the beating of the heart, and the operation of glands in the endocrine system.

Main Entry: autonomic nervous system
Function: noun
: a part of the vertebrate nervous system that innervates smooth and cardiac muscle and glandular tissues and governsinvoluntary actions (as secretion, vasoconstriction, or peristalsis) and that consists of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system called also vegetative nervoussystem; —compare CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

autonomic nervous system n.
The part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary action, as of the intestines, smooth muscle, heart, and glands, and that is divided into two physiologically and anatomically distinct, mutually antagonistic systems, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

autonomic nervous system   (ô'tə-nŏm'ĭk)  Pronunciation Key  The part of the vertebrate nervous system that regulates involuntary activity in the body by transmitting motor impulses to cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and the glands. The muscular activity of the heart and of the circulatory, digestive, respiratory, and urogenital systems is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.