Which autonomic division is associated with the fight or flight response?

• A. Parasympathetic
• B. Central
• C. Enteric
• D. Sympathetic

Answer: (D)

The fight or flight response is produced by the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. This system ramps up the body's readiness for action by increasing heart rate and the force of heart contractions, widening airways, dilating pupils, and redirecting blood flow away from digestion toward muscles. It also promotes energy release by mobilizing glucose and releasing adrenaline and noradrenaline. In contrast, the parasympathetic division promotes rest and digestion, the enteric system governs gut activity locally, and the central nervous system acts as the control center but is not itself the autonomic division at work here. So the sympathetic division is the one responsible for this rapid, energy-mobilizing response.