The central autonomic network is a set of brain regions that work together in a tightly coordinated fashion for regulating our body’s internal steady state and ensuring survival. It is involved in virtually everything we do throughout the day and night, and depending on momentary demands, it optimizes your blood circulation, heart-rate, blood pressure, body temperature, digestion, sleep/wake cycle, cognition, and many other functions.
Beissner, F., Meissner, K., Bar, K. J., & Napadow, V. (2013). The autonomic brain: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis for central processing of autonomic function. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(25), 10503–10511. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.1103-13.2013
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