A stupid question on Sympathetic nerve system

If one of the responses of sympathetic nervous system make urine output decreased(fight or flight), why we want to go pee when it is stimulated? ex. most people want to go pee before the exam start? ThX a lot Last edit by micstn on Dec 16, '08
Quote from micstnIf sympathetic systems make urine output decreased, why we want to go pee when Sympathetic nerve system is stimulated? ex. most people want to go pee before the exam start? ThX a lot

The need to pee is part of the fight or flight response. Stress triggers this response. If you've ever seen an animal very scared, they spray urine and feces everywhere. The same thing is going on here. Student is terrifed of exam, therefore, the biological reaction is to literally pee themselves.

If micturation were only a fight or flight response, then why can we control it?

Quote from DaytoniteIf micturation were only a fight or flight response, then why can we control it?

the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are components of the autonomic nervous system, ea having different functions.for instance,sympathetic = increased hr, peristalsis/motility decreased, bladder/kidney decrease urineparasympathetic = decreased hr, peristalsis/mot increased, bladder/kidny increased urineneedn't always have a fight or flight response.ans always functions to preserve homeostatic balance.leslie

Quote from micstnIf one of the responses of sympathetic nervous system make urine output decreased(fight or flight), why we want to go pee when it is stimulated? ex. most people want to go pee before the exam start? ThX a lot

Quote from OC85Well, if thats a stupid question, then this is probably a stupid answer....Could the increased need to pee in stressful situations also have something to do with cortisol [also linked to stress]? I may be wrong, but doesn't cortisol act as a diuretic hormone, as well?[sorry, thats the best "why" I could come up with off the top of my head.]

I usually retain urine when my SNS is activated.

Quote from micstnIf one of the responses of sympathetic nervous system make urine output decreased(fight or flight), why we want to go pee when it is stimulated? ex. most people want to go pee before the exam start? ThX a lot

Critical thinkingQuote from CT PixieOk, this will probably sound stupid, but here goes, The flight or flight response of the SNS is to decrease urine output right? There are a few reasons the body would want to decrease urine output during the flight or flight reaction.Could the reason be that when stimulated/stressed, most people want to pee is the bodys way of getting rid of "extra weight" the unneeded substance, the bladder needs a blood supply, and I;m guessing that holding in urine makes the bladder and all the parts needed to hold it in work harder than normal, thus taking up more blood than it normally needs for the muscles etc that help in holding in urine? So by "dumping" that extra urine it needed to hold in, the body can concentrate its efforts on the other parts important to the fight/flight response.I know, after rereading what I posted it sounds stupid, but maybe thats why, who knows

There are a couple of thoughts I have on the situation, SNS stimulation releases Epinephrine and Norepinephrine as well as cortisol and aldosterone etc. and causes the effects previously mentioned, in doing so it decreases blood flow to the kidneys (need the blood else where) which causes decreased urine production. Your kidneys don't like this and so they deal the best they can (since you still need to fight or flee they can't over ride the sns) and decreasing the pressure in the bladder makes the little blood getting to the kidney easier to pass into the kidneys (still keep some kidney function) also nor/epi cause smooth muscle contraction (hence the vasoconstriction) so you get some contraction of the bladder as it is also a smooth muscle so you feel the need to go. Just my thoughts

i honestly think its psychological more than anything kind of like when we're little our parents would make us go to the bathroom before we left on a trip you know just in case...idk just going out on a limb here