Autonomic Nervous System Disorders Summary Your autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that controls involuntary actions, such as the beating of your heart and the widening or narrowing of your blood vessels. When something goes wrong in this system, it can cause serious problems, including Blood pressure problems Heart problems Trouble with breathing and swallowing Erectile dysfunction in men Autonomic nervous system disorders can occur alone or as the result of another disease, such as Parkinson’s disease, alcoholism and diabetes. Problems can affect either part of the system, as in complex regional pain syndromes, or all of the system. Some types are temporary, but many worsen over time. When they affect your breathing or heart function, these disorders can be life-threatening. Some autonomic nervous system disorders get better when an underlying disease is treated. Often, however, there is no cure. In that case, the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms. NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Children Anisocoria and Horner’s Syndrome American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Specifics Autoimmune Autonomic Ganglionopathy Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center Baroreflex Failure Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center Holmes-Adie Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Horner Syndrome Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Multiple System Atrophy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Multiple System Atrophy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Multiple System Atrophy with Orthostatic Hypotension (Shy-Drager Syndrome) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Orthostatic Hypotension National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Postural Tachycardia Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Pure Autonomic Failure Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center Encyclopedia Autonomic hyperreflexia Horner syndrome Riley-Day syndrome Start Here Autonomic Neuropathy Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Dysautonomia (Autonomic Dysfunction) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Overview of the Autonomic Nervous System Merck & Co., Inc. Array Autonomic neuropathy Multiple system atrophy Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Autonomic Nervous System Diseases National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Hypotension, Orthostatic National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Multiple System Atrophy National Institutes of Health Genetics Genetics Home Reference: cold-induced sweating syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: congenital central hypoventilation syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: dopamine beta-hydroxylase deficiency National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: familial dysautonomia National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: Horner syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: multiple system atrophy National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: Stüve-Wiedemann syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: transthyretin amyloidosis National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: triple A syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency National Library of Medicine Find an Expert National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Journal Articles Familial dysautonomia Non-familial dysautonomia and orthostatic hypotension Related Issues Sporadic Ataxia and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) National Ataxia Foundation