Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

Which organ acts as the control center for the feedback system that regulates blood pressure?

1. Arteries.

2. Brain.

3. Heart.

4. Pituitary gland.

The correct answer is: Brain.

The brain serves as the control center for the feedback system that regulates blood pressure primarily through various structures, including the hypothalamus and the medulla oblongata. These areas are responsible for integrating information from the body about blood pressure and responding appropriately by sending signals to the cardiovascular system to adjust heart rate and the diameter of blood vessels. When blood pressure deviates from normal levels, baroreceptors in the blood vessels detect these changes and send information to the brain. The brain then processes this information and, if necessary, activates the autonomic nervous system to induce responses that can lower or raise blood pressure. This encompasses changes in heart rate through the sinoatrial node, adjustments in blood vessel diameter, and even hormone regulation that may involve the pituitary gland and adrenal medulla. The other options, while related to blood pressure, do not serve as the primary regulatory center. Arteries are the vessels through which blood flows and they can constrict or dilate but do not control blood pressure. The heart is a crucial muscular organ that pumps blood and is influenced by signals from the brain but does not independently regulate blood pressure. The pituitary gland plays a role in hormone regulation related to blood volume and pressure but operates under the directives of the brain's