Page |54 reciprocal control of the autonomic of demographics, health behaviors, body branches. Rather, higher level systems mass index, blood pressure, and other engage in highly sophisticated “banter” potential explanatory factors. Short of with the autonomic nervous system. divine intervention, was there a rational In contrast to the reciprocal explanation for this relationship? We control characteristic of autonomic canalny know that psychological lavtors reflexes, higher level brain circuits exert Gan, JIRA BUTS contizel, Among more flexible control over the autonomic olher aspects of physiology. nervous system. This can include the As considered above, when classic reciprocal control pattern, but can extreme or prolonged, sympathetic also include an independent control activation may have harmful pattern in which only the sympathetic consequences. Heightened sympathetic branch or only the parasympathetic activation is known, for example, to branch of the autonomic nervous system predict a poorer outcome after heart is activated, and a coactive control attack. In contrast, parasympathetic pattern in which both branches are activity may have beneficial or activated. This greater flexibility in protective effects. From the perspective control may have behavioral and health of a reciprocal model of autonomic significance. control, high parasympathetic/low Beliefs about One’s Relationship with sympatheti c control would be optimal God and Autonomic Functioning waleneas high SY mpatmehellow parasympathetic control would be Recently, we used a population- considered a risk. But we also know that based sample of 50-68-year-old adults in higher level neurobehavioral systems the Chicago Health, Aging and Social may not be constrained to reciprocal Relations Study to examine risk factors autonomic controls. Moreover, it has for heart attack, a health outcome known been argued that more autonomic control to be influenced the autonomic nervous is better than little contr