The bidirectional communication and regulatory coordination between the central nervous system (CNS), including the brain, and the peripheral autonomic nervous system that innervates the visceral organs. This integrative process is crucial for maintaining homeostasis, allowing emotional and cognitive states to influence physiological functions like heart rate, digestion, and hormonal secretion. Dysfunction in this integration is implicated in numerous psychosomatic and endocrine disorders.
Origin
This term combines Neuro- (nerves/nervous system), Visceral (internal organs), and Integration (the process of combining parts into a whole). It emerged from psychophysiology and neuroendocrinology to describe the complex mind-body connection. The vagus nerve is a primary anatomical substrate of this critical communication pathway.
Mechanism
The mechanism relies on afferent and efferent neural pathways, with the vagus nerve being a key mediator, transmitting sensory information from the viscera to the brain and motor commands back to the organs. Furthermore, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a major endocrine component, is directly modulated by the CNS. This integrated loop allows stress, emotion, and hormonal signals to dynamically regulate visceral function.
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