A history of the autonomic nervous system: part I: from Galen to Bichat.
BACKGROUND
The development of our current understanding of the autonomic nervous system has a rich history with many international contributors.


CONCLUSIONS
Although our thoughts of an autonomic nervous system arose with the Greeks, the evolution and final understanding of this neural network would not be fully realized until centuries later. Therefore, our current knowledge of this system is based on hundreds of years of hypotheses and testing and was contributed to by many historic figures.
Seattle Science Foundation, 550 17th Ave, James Tower, Suite 600, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA.
Peter C
PC
Oakes
Seattle Science Foundation, 550 17th Ave, James Tower, Suite 600, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA.|Neuroscience Institute, Swedish Medical Center, 550 17th Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA.
Christian
C
Fisahn
Seattle Science Foundation, 550 17th Ave, James Tower, Suite 600, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA. joei@seattlesciencefoundation.org.
Joe
J
Iwanaga
Neuroscience Institute, Swedish Medical Center, 550 17th Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA.
Daniel
D
DiLorenzo
Seattle Science Foundation, 550 17th Ave, James Tower, Suite 600, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA.|Neuroscience Institute, Swedish Medical Center, 550 17th Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA.
Rod J
RJ
Oskouian
Seattle Science Foundation, 550 17th Ave, James Tower, Suite 600, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA.
R Shane
RS
Tubbs
D001341:Autonomic Nervous System; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D009462:Neurology / Q000266:history*
Anatomy; History; Nerves; Physiology; Vegetative system