sympathetic nervous system

Scientific  

/ sĭm′pə-thĕt′ĭk /

1. The part of the autonomic nervous system that tends to act in opposition to the parasympathetic nervous system, as by speeding up the heartbeat and causing contraction of the blood vessels. It regulates the function of the sweat glands and stimulates the secretion of glucose in the liver. The sympathetic nervous system is activated especially under conditions of stress.

2. Compare parasympathetic nervous system

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Example Sentences

It did this by boosting the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and stimulating thermogenesis in adipose tissue, leading the tissue to consume more energy in the form of heat.

From Science Daily

A cold plunge can even result in a brief euphoric feeling as your body switches from the parasympathetic to sympathetic nervous system.

From The Wall Street Journal

When the body hyperventilates, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, triggering the body’s “fight or flight” response.

From Salon

It turns the human brain into a reptilian one and activates the sympathetic nervous system, putting us into fight-or-flight mode — the same one we can get stuck in when we’re chronically lonely.

From Salon

"Patients with HD have a slightly more active sympathetic nervous system, which is what drives the fight or flight response, and theoretically have more norepinephrine," Schultz explains.

From Science Daily