Question

In organs that receive dual innervation from the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions, the two divisions produce ________

a) always complementary effects
b) opposing effects
c) identical effects
d) an inhibition of autonomic tone

Answer 1

In the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions usually produce opposing effects to maintain homeostasis within the body.

Step-by-step explanation:

In organs that receive dual innervation from the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system, the two divisions produce opposing effects.

For instance, the sympathetic system increases heart rate and the parasympathetic system decreases it.

The sympathetic system might cause sphincters in the digestive tract to contract to limit digestion, while the parasympathetic system works to push the digestive contents along.

This interaction of dual innervation ensures that homeostasis is maintained within the body.

If a drug activates both divisions equally, the net effect might be no significant change due to the cancellation of the competing inputs.