resistance
Definition
In the context of the nervous system and blood flow, resistance refers to the opposition to blood flow in the blood vessels. It is influenced by factors such as vessel diameter, blood viscosity, and overall vessel length.
Analogy
Imagine water flowing through a garden hose; if you partially close the nozzle or if the hose has a lot of turns and twists, it gets harder for water to flow through. This is similar to how resistance works in blood vessels - anything that makes it tougher for blood to move through vessels increases resistance.
Related terms
Blood Viscosity: The thickness or stickiness of blood, which affects how easily it flows through vessels.
Vessel Diameter: The width of a blood vessel; smaller diameters create higher resistance to blood flow.
Blood Pressure: The force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, often influenced by resistance within those vessels
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