Malcolm 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 Malcolm to a normal state?
A) spinal cord
B) somatic nervous system
C) sympathetic nervous system
D) parasympathetic nervous system

Question

Malcolm 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 Malcolm to a normal state?
A) spinal cord
B) somatic nervous system
C) sympathetic nervous system 
D) parasympathetic nervous system

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "rest and digest" response in the body, which helps return the body to a normal, relaxed state after a stressful situation. In this case, once Malcolm realizes that it is only his cat that caused the noise, his body relaxes and returns to normal, which is facilitated by the parasympathetic nervous system.

Malcolm Is Studying Alone in His Room Late at Night