Introduction
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is that system of nerves that controls peripheral organs, other than striated muscle that is under voluntary control (Fig. 1). Thus it controls the visceral organs of the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities, including the lungs, heart, digestive organs, kidneys, urinary bladder and internal generative organs. The autonomic nervous system also controls endocrine and exocrine glands throughout the body, the blood vessels that supply all organs, and, within the eye, neural regulation of the pupil. More recently, it has also become obvious that the autonomic nervous system can modulate the function of sensory receptors (see autonomic control of sensory receptors) and skeletal muscle (see autonomic effects on skeletal muscle).
Depiction of the organization of the peripheral pathways of the autonomic nervous system, showing its three parts,...
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Acknowledgement
This section of the Encyclopedia of Neuroscience is a tribute to the energy and foresight of the late Professor Akio Sato, whose scientific and personal contributions have substantially advanced understanding of the autonomic nervous system. His friendship and suport are sadly missed.
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Furness, J.B. (2008). Autonomic Nervous System and Its Divisions: Sympathetic, Parasympathetic and Enteric. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_483
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