Responding to the World

The ANS is a component of the peripheral nervous system that uses both afferent (sensory) and efferent (effector) neurons, which control the functioning of the internal organs and involuntary processes via connections with the CNS. The ANS consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The efferent nerve fibers that terminate in the endocrine, vascular, and visceral structures coordinate the inner workings of the body in response to several afferent inputs. The sympathetic and parasympathetic neural circuits coordinate stress responses and relaxation responses, respectively. The enteric nervous system regulates visceral organ function. A balance between these systems results in homeostasis, whereas an imbalance leads to pathological conditions.

Biopsychology (behavioral neuroscience) is concerned with the mutual influence of the body’s biological processes and our behavior and experience. This article discusses the states of stress, activation, consciousness and sleep, including both background issues and pathologies. Learn how to interpret a wake and sleep EEG, which stress models are important for exams and what happens during the fight or flight response. With the right preparation, the ‘preliminary examination’ that causes you such mental stress will only cause eustress.

Are you able to name the six basic human emotions? Happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust. How do emotions arise and how can they be measured? What anatomic correlations should you know? What are the most important theories about emotions? The following article answers all of these and even more questions. Moreover, you will learn important clinical connections: anxiety disorders and depression are common diseases that you will encounter in your clinical routine. Make yourself familiar with the basics so that you are perfectly prepared for preclinical exams and your "Physikum".