

How Does Trauma Affect the Nervous System? The changes don’t happen as quickly as those of the sympathetic nervous system. The PSNS gives the body a calm and relaxed feeling over a period of time. In contrast, the parasympathetic nervous system’s job is to relax the body and use hormones to slow down those frantic responses once the threat is gone. It happens quickly so that the body is almost instantly ready to run or defend itself. When Is the Parasympathetic Nervous System Activated?ĭuring times of stress, your body’s sympathetic nervous system activates your fight or flight response. These functions complement those of the sympathetic nervous system, which is best known for stimulating the fight or flight response when the body perceives a threat. It also constricts the pupils when closer vision is required. The PSNS also constricts air passageways when the body needs less oxygen, such as during rest periods. Salivation: The PSNS stimulates the salivary glands and speeds up peristalsis.Digestion: The PSNS dilates the blood vessels of the GI system to allow for greater blood flow.The PSNS uses acetylcholine as its primary neurotransmitter, but other peptides may act on the PSNS as well. Here are some of the body functions stimulated through the parasympathetic nervous system. It also relaxes the sphincter muscles in the gastrointestinal system. Located between the brain and spinal cord, the PSNS is tasked with saving the body’s energy by slowing the heart rate and increasing the activity of the intestines and glands during periods of rest.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), sometimes called the feed-and-breed or rest-and-digest system, is part of the autonomic nervous system, along with the sympathetic nervous system. What Is the Parasympathetic Nervous System? Back How Does Trauma Affect the Parasympathetic Nervous System?
