Your autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of your central nervous system (CNS) that controls unconscious activities like breathing and digestion. This system is always working, whether or not ...

Your nervous system is a network that sends signals between your brain and other parts of your body to control your body's movements and processes. This system includes your brain, spinal cord, and ...

The sympathetic nervous system, which helps your heart and other vital organs function all the time, increases activity in response to danger or stress, preparing the body for extra demands. Stress is ...

Each part of the nervous system uses internal checks and balances to regulate its activity, responding to various factors like mood, health status, and the external environment.¹ These regulatory ...

The sympathetic nervous system, which enables the fight-or-flight response, was thought to be present only in jawed vertebrates. Analysis of a jawless vertebrate suggests that this system might be a ...

Long after a traumatic event has passed, a person’s nervous system can be reactivated whenever they perceive danger, whether or not danger is present. This feeling of heightened arousal is like being ...

Your autonomic nervous system helps regulate emotional balance, but chronic stress or trauma can trigger an overactive fight-or-flight response. Nervous system dysregulation refers to a condition in ...