Autonomic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system: A part of the nervous system that regulates key involuntary functions of the body, including the activity of the heart muscle; the smooth muscles, including the muscles of the intestinal tract; and the glands. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions: the sympathetic nervous system, which accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure, and the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles.
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- Autonomic neuropathy
Autonomic neuropathy: Disease of the nerves affecting mostly the internal organs such as the bladder muscles, the cardiovascular system, the digestive tract, and the genital organs. These nerves are not under a person’s conscious control and function automatically (autonomically). Autonomic neuropathy can be associated with diabetes, alcohol abuse, nerve injury and the use of certain […]
- Autonomy, patient
Autonomy, patient: The right of patients to make decisions about their medical care without their health care provider trying to influence the decision. Patient autonomy does allow for health care providers to educate the patient but does not allow the health care provider to make the decision for the patient.
- Autophobia
Autophobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of loneliness, of being alone. A fear of solitude. Sufferers from autophobia may experience anxiety even though they realize that being alone does not threaten their well-being. They may worry about being ignored and unloved, or they may worry about intruders, strange noises or the possibility of developing a […]
- Autopsy
A postmortem examination. Also known as necropsy.
- Autoradiography
Autoradiography: A technique using X- ray film to visualize molecules or fragments of molecules that have been radioactively labeled. Autoradiography has many applications in the laboratory. Autoradiography can, for example, be used to analyze the length and number of DNA fragments after they are separated from one another by a method called gel electrophoresis.