Meanwhile, the parasympathetic nervous system {PNS} arises from different midbrain/brain-stem nuclei that project down the spine to the body. In contrast to the SNS and the four Fs, the PNS is about calm, vegetative states. The SNS speeds up the heart; the PNS slows it down. The PNS promotes digestion; the SNS inhibits it {which makes sense-if you're running for your life, avoiding being someone's lunch, don't waste energy digesting breakfast}.
( Robert M. Sapolsky )
[ Behave: The Biology of Humans ]
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