What describes the autonomic nervous system's control of digestion?

What describes the autonomic nervous system's control of digestion?

• A. Parasympathetic inhibits GI activity, sympathetic promotes it.
• B. Somatic motor system controls GI peristalsis.
• C. Parasympathetic promotes GI activity, sympathetic opposes it.
• D. Only the enteric nervous system controls digestion.

Answer: (C)

Digestion is governed by the autonomic nervous system, which has two divisions that act in opposition. The parasympathetic system enhances GI function—boosting motility (like peristalsis), secretions, and blood flow to the gut—helping digestion proceed. The sympathetic system, on the other hand, dampens GI activity, slowing motility and secretions and redirecting blood to muscles during stress. The enteric nervous system provides the local gut circuitry, but it doesn’t operate independently of autonomic input; parasympathetic and sympathetic signals modulate it to adjust digestion as needed. So the statement that best describes this control is that the parasympathetic promotes GI activity, while the sympathetic opposes it. The other options mix up the roles (parasympathetic inhibiting GI activity is incorrect), incorrectly assign GI control to the somatic motor system, or claim digestion is governed only by the enteric system, which ignores autonomic modulation.

Digestion is governed by the autonomic nervous system, which has two divisions that act in opposition. The parasympathetic system enhances GI function—boosting motility (like peristalsis), secretions, and blood flow to the gut—helping digestion proceed. The sympathetic system, on the other hand, dampens GI activity, slowing motility and secretions and redirecting blood to muscles during stress. The enteric nervous system provides the local gut circuitry, but it doesn’t operate independently of autonomic input; parasympathetic and sympathetic signals modulate it to adjust digestion as needed.

So the statement that best describes this control is that the parasympathetic promotes GI activity, while the sympathetic opposes it. The other options mix up the roles (parasympathetic inhibiting GI activity is incorrect), incorrectly assign GI control to the somatic motor system, or claim digestion is governed only by the enteric system, which ignores autonomic modulation.