Janeen and Marty were strolling down a wooded path in a city park when a man holding a knife suddenly jumped out of the shrubbery. Rather than fight, Janeen and Marty decided to flee and took off running in the opposite direction. The _____ nervous system triggers this quick reaction, known as the fight-or-flight response, by stimulating the_____ to produce _____.
A) somatic; adrenal medulla; dopamine and serotonin
B) parasympathetic; adrenal cortex; melatonin and androgen
C) sympathetic; adrenal medulla; epinephrine and norepinephrine
D) central; hypothalamus; GABA and dopamine

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fight-or-flight response is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers the adrenal medulla to produce adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), preparing the body for action. Therefore, option C is the correct answer. Option A refers to the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movements, and dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters, not hormones produced by the adrenal medulla. Option B refers to the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls rest and digestion, and the adrenal cortex produces hormones such as cortisol, not melatonin or androgen. Option D refers to the central nervous system and neurotransmitters, but it does not relate to the hormonal response involved in the fight-or-flight reaction.

Janeen and Marty Were Strolling Down a Wooded Path in a City