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What is the Autonomic Nervous System?

Why do we actually need an autonomic nervous system? Isn't one nervous system enough for everything?

16.06.2024

1. Page

Glossar

15.03.2017

1. Grundlagen
2. Communication in the Brain

Acetylcholine

Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter to be discovered.

07.05.2012

1. Glossary

Autonomic nervous system

The part of the nervous system that primarily controls unconscious vital functions such as breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure. The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic nervous system, which is active in performance and stress situations, and the parasympathetic nervous system, which is active during rest and recovery phases. In some cases, the enteric nervous system, which is responsible for gastrointestinal functions, is also considered part of the autonomic nervous system.

1. Grundlagen
2. Communication in the Brain

Neurotransmitters: Messenger Molecules in the Brain

“Happy hormone” & Co.: Without neurotransmitters, nerve cells would not be able to communicate.

05.08.2025

1. Grundlagen
2. Anatomy

The Hypothalamus

Nutrition and reproduction – these activities are controlled by the hypothalamus at the neural and hormonal levels.

01.07.2025

1. Glossary

Parasympathetic nervous system

The parasympathetic nervous system is part of the vegetative or autonomic nervous system. The latter term refers to the fact that this part of the nervous system is not subject to voluntary control. It controls the activities of most of the internal organs as well as the heartbeat. In contrast to its counterpart, the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system is most active when the body is at rest. Among other things, it controls digestion and urination. Acetylcholine serves as the messenger substance for signal transmission within the parasympathetic nervous system.

1. Glossary

Sympathetic nervous system

Part of the autonomic nervous system, whereby the sympathetic nervous system primarily transmits excitatory impulses – in contrast to its counterpart, the parasympathetic nervous system. For example, the sympathetic nervous system activates respiration, the heart, and circulation, but it also affects the smooth muscles of all internal organs. The sympathetic nervous system uses the neurotransmitters acetylcholine and norepinephrine.

1. Glossary

Acetylcholine

Acetylcholine is one of the most important neurotransmitters in the nervous system. In the central nervous system, it is involved in attention, learning, and memory; in the peripheral nervous system, it transmits excitation from nerves to muscles at the neuromuscular end plates and controls processes of the autonomic nervous system, i.e., the sympathetic and parasympathetic parts. Areas in which acetylcholine acts as a messenger substance are called cholinergic. It was the first neurotransmitter to be discovered, identified in 1921 by Otto Loewi in the heart of a frog.

1. Acting
2. Motor Skills

Highway through the Spinal Cord

Thanks to motor pathways from the brain to the spinal cord, we can move at lightning speed.

01.12.2025