Autonomic nervous system

The nervous system is divided into two different sub-systems, which includes your central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system can be further divided into two subparts: the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for sending signals from the brain to the majority of someone’s internal organs.
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As the name suggests, the autonomic nervous system regulates automatic processes the body requires for survival. These aren’t functions that we consciously think about, as they are things our bodies do on autopilot. For example, the autonomic nervous system controls:
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Digestion
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Breathing
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Salivation
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Pupil dilation and constriction
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Bladder function
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Heart rate
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The autonomic nervous system can be further divided into three more subsections, which include:
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The sympathetic nervous system. This refers to the system that is responsible for responding to danger or stress, commonly referred to as your “fight or flight” response.
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Parasympathetic nervous system. This division does the opposite of your sympathetic nervous system, meaning it is responsible for “rest and digest” type functions.
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Enteric nervous system. This subsection regulates digestion of food.
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Disease or injury to the autonomic nervous system is referred to as autonomic neuropathy. Several conditions can cause autonomic neuropathy, including type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disease, amyloidosis, inflammatory conditions, infection, trauma, poisons and toxins, genetic conditions, and tumors.