A patient is having a "fight or flight response" after receiving bad news about his prognosis. What affect will this have on the patient's sympathetic nervous system?

Choice A reason: The fight or flight response actually triggers the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to an increase in cortisol secretion from the adrenal cortex. Cortisol helps the body manage stress by increasing blood glucose levels, but it is not decreased during an acute sympathetic nervous system activation. Choice B reason: Sympathetic activation leads to the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which act on the beta-1 adrenergic receptors of the myocardium. This results in positive chronotropic and inotropic effects, increasing the heart rate and cardiac output to prepare the body for immediate physical action or perceived threat. Choice C reason: The fight or flight response is characterized by an increase in adrenergic stimulation, not a decrease. The adrenal medulla releases catecholamines into the bloodstream, which bind to alpha and beta receptors throughout the body to mediate the physiological changes necessary for a rapid stress response. Choice D reason: Sympathetic stimulation causes mydriasis, which is the dilation of the pupils, to allow more light to enter the eye and improve peripheral vision. Constriction of the pupils, or miosis, is a function of the parasympathetic nervous system, which dominates during "rest and digest" periods.