Which of the following activities is primarily controlled by the autonomic nervous system?

• A. Conscious perception of pain
• B. Learning and memory formation
• C. Regulation of heart rate
• D. Voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Begin by understanding the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is a division of the peripheral nervous system responsible for involuntary control of bodily functions, such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, and glandular activity.
2. Step 2: Compare the activities listed in the problem to the functions of the autonomic nervous system. Conscious perception of pain involves sensory pathways and the somatic nervous system, not the ANS. Learning and memory formation are functions of the central nervous system, specifically the brain, and are not controlled by the ANS.
3. Step 3: Recognize that voluntary movement of skeletal muscles is controlled by the somatic nervous system, which governs conscious and voluntary actions, not the autonomic nervous system.
4. Step 4: Identify that regulation of heart rate is a classic example of an autonomic nervous system function. The ANS controls heart rate through its two branches: the sympathetic nervous system (increasing heart rate) and the parasympathetic nervous system (decreasing heart rate).
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is 'Regulation of heart rate,' as it aligns with the involuntary control characteristic of the autonomic nervous system.