Question

After a nerve-racking speech, blood pressure will return back to normal levels from being elevated. As the blood pressure falls back to normal the resistance of the cardiovascular system changes.

How has resistance in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and brain, respectively, changed as blood pressure falls back to normal?

How does blood flow to the GI tract change from during and after the speech, and the brain? (.25 each)

Which branch and division of the nervous system is regulating these changes?

Answer 1

1). How does blood flow to the GI tract change from during and after the speech, and the brain?

The blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract (GI) decrease during speech due to the sympathetic stimulation. After speech, the sympathetic stimulation is taken over by the parasympathetic nervous system, and the blood flow to the digestive tract increases. Similar, the blood flow to the brain increases during the speech, and becomes normal after speech.

2). Which branch and division of the nervous system is regulating these changes?

The sympathetic branch of the autonomic division of the nervous system is regulating these changes. Sympathetic stimulation raise the blood pressure, and vice versa.