Autonomic Nervous System

~ Nerves inside the Thoracic cavity ~

 Division of the NS
1.) based on location
a. CNS = Brain and Spinal Cord (SC)
b. PNS = Cranial nerves, Spinal nerves

2.) based on function

a. Somatic
b. Autonomic
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
11

11, ramus communicans

/ Gray communicating branch
Autonomic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
• regulates the heart,
blood vessel, other
visceral organs

• divided into
Sympathetic and
Parasympathetic
 SYMPATHETIC PARASYMPATHETIC
Length of preganglionic
SHORT LONG
axon
Length of postganglionic
LONG SHORT
axon

Location of sympathetic or Near or in the walls of the

Far from target organs
parasympathetic ganglia target organ

Ganglionic synapse Diffuse Discrete

NT release by preganglionic
Ach Ach
axons in ganglia

NT released by
postganglionic axons in NE Ach
target sites
Function Expenditure of E Conserve and produce E
Sympathetic division
• thoracolumbar part of the ANS (presence of visceral effector innervation in
the spinal nerves coming from T1-L2)

• “fight or flight” related function

• sympathetic ganglion and nerves related into it (for this first part of the
exam):
• sympathetic trunk
• sympathetic trunk ganglia
• cervicothoracic ganglion (stellate ganglion)
• vertebral nerve
• ansa subclavia
• middle cervical ganglion
• vagosympathetic trunk
Sympathetic trunk and its ganglia
• series of connected ganglia lying on either side of the vertebral column

• extends from the base of the skull to the sacral region of the vertebral
column

• the ganglia only receive PREganglionic fibers from the sympathetic division
of the ANS

• the ganglia are connected by PREganglionic fibers passing between the

ganglia forming the sympathetic trunk

• POSTganglionic fibers coming from these ganglia INNERVATE the heart,

bronchi, lungs, and abdominal organs
Cervicothoracic ganglion
• largest autonomic ganglion in the body; also known as stellate
ganglion because of the many branches coming from it

• located near the vertebral column medial to the first rib

• PREganglionic fibers reaching the stellate ganglion can

SYNAPSE on POSTganglionic neurons here that can go to the
heart and neck area
• or PASS THROUGH it and either SYNAPSE in the MIDDLE CERVICAL
ganglion or continue up to the cervical part of the sympathetic trunk to
synapse with the CRANIAL CERVICAL ganglion
Vertebral nerve
• POSTganglionic fibers coming from the cervicothoracic ganglion
synapse

• travels UP the neck area through the transverse foramina of

C6-C1 (remember!!! C7 has no transverse foramen)

• send fibers (gray ramus communicans) to the cervical spinal

nerves to supply the blood vessels and skin glands
Ansa subclavia
• two (2) cord-like structures that connect the cervicothoracic
ganglion and the middle cervical ganglion

• pass around the subclavian artery

• made up of PREganglionic fibers

Middle cervical ganglion
• group of sympathetic POSTganglionic cell bodies located at the
thoracic inlet
Sympathetic trunk (cervical part)
• sympathetic nerve trunk part together with the vagus nerve to
form collectively the VAGOSYMPATHETIC NERVE TRUNK
along the neck area enclosed by the carotid sheath

• PREganglionic fibers PASSING from the MIDDLE CERVICAL

ganglion go up the neck area to SYNAPSE with the CRANIAL
CERVICAL ganglion
Vagosympathetic nerve trunk
• combined VAGUS nerve and SYMPATHETIC nerve trunk in the
neck region

• fibers of the vagus nerve (CN X) pass DOWN the trunk while
the sympathetic fibers pass UP the trunk
• vagus nerve leaves the sympathetic trunk at the level of the thoracic
inlet
Parasympathetic division
• craniosacral part of the ANS (presence of visceral effector innervation in the spinal
nerves coming from S1, S2, and S3; and in the cranial nerves – CN 3, 7, 9, and
10)

• “rest or digest” related function

• parasympathetic ganglion and nerves related into it (for this first part of the exam):
• vagus nerve (CN X)

• ganglia of the parasympathetic division of ANS are located close to or in the wall of
the organs they innervate
• receives long PREganglionic nerve fibers from the parasympathetic division of the ANS and
send short POSTganglionic nerve fibers to the effector organs itself
Vagus nerve
• majority of the cranial parasympathetic outflow is because of the vagus n.
(CN 10/X)

• also carries the somatic innervation to the skeletal mm.

• it carries a LONG PREganglionic nerve fibers to SYNAPSE in the terminal

ganglia of the organs of the thorax and abdomen

• vagus n. can also go to the celiacomesenteric plexus BUT without

SYNAPSING on their way to the abdominal organs

• SHORT POSTganglionic nerve fibers innervate the organs such as the

heart, lungs, liver, stomach, pancreas, small intestine, kidneys, and part of
the colon