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WaveRider Operating Manual

151

NEUROSCIENCE: THE GENERATION OF BRAINWAVES

THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

The autonomic nervous system controls arousal . It consists of the sympathetic (fight or

flight) and para-sympathetic (rest and digest) systems. It is not part of the central nervous

system but forms a separate "visceral" system. The autonomic and central nervous system

communicate primarily through the hypothalamus which also controls the pituitary, the

master gland of the endocrine system.

The GSR reflects the level of arousal of the autonomic nervous system. Decreased arousal

reflects a stimulation of the para-sympathetic system and inhibition of the sympathetic

system.

The sympathetic system tends to have a much faster onset than the para-sympathetic. When

you are threatened and get an "adrenaline rush" your body responds quickly. The relaxation

response after the threat is removed tends to be much slower. This is reflected in the GSR.

When you stress yourself the slope of the GSR is much steeper than the relaxation curve after

the stressful event.

The key features of the autonomic nervous system are ganglia, where many nerve cells come

together. In the sympathetic nervous system these ganglia are situated on either side of the

spinal column in the thoracic and upper lumbar region. In the para-sympathetic system the

ganglia are located in the organs which their cells connect to. Both systems can be inhibited

or stimulated. They will in turn inhibit or stimulate the organs with which they are connected.

It is to be noted though that a stimulation of one autonomic system may cause an inhibition of

the organ in question. When both systems innervate an organ they are usually opposed in

their actions. For instance, stimulating the sympathetic system will increase the heart rate.

Stimulating the para-sympathetic system will decrease the heart rate.

The sympathetic system if stimulated will cause the

pupils to dilate,

sweating to increase,

heart rate to increase,

force of contraction of the heart to increase,

pulmonary bronchi to dilate,

pulmonary blood vessels to mildly constrict

peristalsis to decrease

sphincter to constrict

kidney to decrease its output

basal metabolism to increase

skeletal muscles to increase strength

blood coagulation to increase.

These are all actions that prepare the body for fight or flight

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Mind Peak WaveRider Bedienerhandbuch Seite 151