Eli is studying alone in his room late at night when he hears a loud noise downstairs. His heartbeat increases significantly and his breathing becomes shallow. He wonders if a burglar has entered the house and decides to investigate. When he gets downstairs, he discovers his cat has knocked over a plant stand. His body begins to relax and return to normal. Which part of his nervous system is responsible for returning Eli to a normal state?
A) spinal cord
B) somatic nervous system
C) sympathetic nervous system
D) parasympathetic nervous system

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's "rest and digest" response and helps return the body to a normal state after a fight or flight response. In this scenario, after Eli's initial fear response (which was due to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system), his parasympathetic nervous system took over as soon as he realized there was no actual threat, allowing him to relax and return to a normal state.

Eli Is Studying Alone in His Room Late at Night