Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The parasympathetic nervous system is one of the two principal divisions of the autonomic nervous system, complementing the sympathetic division to maintain involuntary physiological homeostasis. Often characterised by its role in rest, digestion, and recovery, it promotes energy conservation by slowing the heart ra…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 7 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 80× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2574-4526 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

The parasympathetic nervous system is one of the two principal divisions of the autonomic nervous system, complementing the sympathetic division to maintain involuntary physiological homeostasis. Often characterised by its role in rest, digestion, and recovery, it promotes energy conservation by slowing the heart rate, stimulating gastrointestinal motility and secretion, constricting the pupils, and supporting glandular and reproductive functions. Anatomically it is a craniosacral system: its preganglionic fibres emerge from several cranial nerves, most importantly the vagus nerve, and from the sacral spinal cord, synapsing in ganglia close to or within the target organs, where the neurotransmitter acetylcholine acts on muscarinic receptors. Vagal control of the heart is a major influence on cardiac rhythm, and the balance between parasympathetic and sympathetic activity is reflected in heart rate variability, a widely used non-invasive index of autonomic regulation. Parasympathetic tone interacts with the baroreflex in controlling blood pressure and is modulated by behaviours and interventions that affect autonomic state, including slow, controlled breathing and relaxation practices, which can increase vagal activity and shift the body toward a calmer physiological profile. Disturbance of parasympathetic function contributes to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and stress-related conditions. Research examines vagal regulation of the heart, measures of autonomic balance such as heart rate variability, and the physiological effects of breathing and relaxation on parasympathetic activity.

Research published in this journal

7 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

2020

Pain between Psyche and Soma in Uro-Andrology

Pruneti CarloCorresponding author
Dept. of Medicine and Surgery, Clinical Psychology, Clinical Psychophysiology and Clinical Neuropsychology Labs., University of Parma, Italy.
Exact topic International Journal of Pain Management Cited by 2 doi:10.14302/issn.2688-5328.ijp-20-3386

How this research is being cited

The 7 articles above have been cited 80 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Parasympathetic Nervous System, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Digestive Disorders And Diagnosis (ISSN 2574-4526).

Journal editorial board
Jonas P. DeMuro · United States Divey Manocha · United States Beata Kasztelan-Szczerbinska · Poland

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.