In this video, Dr. Tipton discusses a very important part of the nervous system which is the autonomic nervous system. This system is often referred to as the “automatic” part of the nervous system because it controls functions that are critical for life without us having to think about them. These functions include things like control of blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. The autonomic nervous system is also important in urinary, bowel, and sexual function. There are many reasons which individuals may have dysfunction in these areas; however, the presence of dysfunction should prompt physicians to thoroughly investigate for the presence of autonomic dysfunction. If autonomic dysfunction is suspected, then a thorough evaluation by a neurologist is absolutely critical to guide proper treatment and assess whether the autonomic dysfunction is related to a neurodegenerative disease.