Question

You are watching a horror movie and you notice that your heart is beating fast and mouth is dry. It is because of

• A. Fight and flight response
• B. Sympathetic nervous system
• C. Both A and B
• D. Autonomic nervous system
• E. Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Both A and B

Our body responds to stress, worry, anxiety, fear and excitement by activating the “fight or flight” system. At chemical level, our body releases a series of hormones that makes us hyper-alert, focused, and energised and this chemical cascade causes increased heart rate, respiratory rate and perspiration. Normally, heart-rate control is a balance between the two circuits of the Autonomic Nervous System – the Parasympathetic Nervous System and the Sympathetic Nervous System. The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is often referred to as our “fight or flight” system. The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS) is its counterpart, and can be termed as the “rest and digest” system. Together, the PSNS and SNS work in all areas of the body to help us act, react, recover and survive.

Hence the correct answer is (C)