Parasympathetic nervous system
parasympathetic nervous system n.
The part of the autonomic nervous system originating in the brain stem and the lower part of the spinal cord that, in general, inhibits or opposes the physiological effects of the sympathetic nervous system, as in tending to stimulate digestive secretions or slow the heart.
parasympathetic nervous system
(pār’ə-sĭm’pə-thět’ĭk)
The part of the autonomic nervous system that tends to act in opposition to the sympathetic nervous system, as by slowing down the heartbeat and dilating the blood vessels. It regulates the function of many glands, such as those that produce tears and saliva, and stimulates motility and secretions of the digestive system. Compare sympathetic nervous system.
Read Also:
- Parasympatholytic
parasympatholytic par·a·sym·pa·tho·lyt·ic (pār’ə-sĭm’pə-thō-lĭt’ĭk) adj. Blocking the effects of the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Parasympathomimetic
parasympathomimetic par·a·sym·pa·tho·mi·met·ic (pār’ə-sĭm’pə-thō-mĭ-mět’ik, -mī-) adj. Having an action resembling that caused by stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Parasynapsis
[par-uh-si-nap-sis] /ˌpær ə sɪˈnæp sɪs/ noun, Biology. 1. the conjugation of chromosomes side by side; . /ˌpærəsɪˈnæpsɪs/ noun 1. another name for synapsis (sense 1) parasynapsis par·a·sy·nap·sis (pār’ə-sĭ-nāp’sĭs) n. Side-to-side union of homologous chromosomes in the process of reduction.
- Parasynovitis
parasynovitis par·a·syn·o·vi·tis (pār’ə-sĭn’ə-vī’tĭs, -sī’nə-) n. Inflammation of the tissues immediately adjacent to a joint.
- Parasynthesis
[par-uh-sin-thuh-sis] /ˌpær əˈsɪn θə sɪs/ noun, Grammar. 1. the formation of a word by the addition of a derivational suffix to a phrase or compound, as of greathearted, which is great heart plus -ed. 2. the formation of a word by the addition of both a prefix and a derivational suffix to a word or […]