BRAINCAKEBaroreceptors
Baroreceptors are stretch receptors that detect changes in blood pressure. They are found in the wall of the aortic arch and in the carotid sinuses (small swellings at the base of the internal carotid arteries, which supply the brain). When blood pressure rises, the artery wall is stretched more and the baroreceptors send impulses more frequently along sensory neurones to the cardiovascular control centre in the medulla oblongata.
When blood pressure is too high:
1. The artery wall is stretched more, so baroreceptors send more impulses.
2. The control centre sends more impulses along the vagus nerve and fewer along the accelerator nerve.
3. Acetylcholine released at the SAN reduces its rate of firing.
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Key terms in this lesson
- negative feedback
- A response that reverses a change in a variable, returning it towards its set point.
More in Homeostasis
- Controlling the Heart Rate
- Nervous Control of the Heart
- Chemoreceptors
- Hormonal Control of the Heart
- Additional Responses
- Protein Homeostasis in the Liver
- Osmoregulation
- Osmoregulation in Mammals
All 41 lessons in Homeostasis · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics