Which statement best describes the autonomic nervous system's innervation of organs?

• A. Only certain organs have autonomic innervation
• B. Every organ has a sympathetic and parasympathetic supply
• C. It innervates skeletal muscles
• D. It is part of the somatic nervous system

Answer: (B)

The autonomic nervous system controls functions that you don’t consciously decide, by sending signals to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands in organs. It has two main branches, sympathetic and parasympathetic, which often act in opposition or complement each other to adjust organ activity as needed. Because of this dual setup, most organs receive inputs from both divisions, allowing precise regulation of functions like heart rate, digestion, and pupil size. While there are a few specific cases where one division plays a more dominant role, the general idea taught at this level is that organs are typically innervated by both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. The other statements don’t fit because autonomic innervation isn’t limited to only some organs, it doesn’t innervate skeletal muscles (that’s the job of the somatic nervous system), and it isn’t part of the somatic nervous system.