RT Book, Section A1 Waxman, Stephen G. SR Print(0) ID 1186190363 T1 The Autonomic Nervous System T2 Clinical Neuroanatomy, 29e YR 2020 FD 2020 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781260452358 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1186190363 RD 2024/10/06 AB The autonomic (visceral) nervous system (ANS) is concerned with control of target tissues: the cardiac muscle, the smooth muscle in blood vessels and viscera, and the glands. It helps maintain a constant internal body environment (homeostasis). The ANS consists of efferent pathways, afferent pathways, and groups of neurons in the brain and spinal cord that regulate the system’s functions. It is modulated by supraspinal centers such as brain stem nuclei and the hypothalamus.