Autonomic Nervous System Anatomy

Question 1

where do ALL sympathetic nerves arise from?

Answer 1

the lateral horn of the spinal cord

Question 2

describe the sympathetic nervous system (9)

Answer 2

1. the stellate nucleus gives rise to
   -the vertebral nerve: runs via transverse foramen to head and neck and to
   -ansa subclavia and to
   -sympathetic chain
2. ansa subclavia run to the middle cervical ganglion, which joins vagus nerve in vagosympathetic trunk and runs to
3. the cranial cervical ganglion
4. the sympathetic chain runs from the stellate nucleus caudally, with ganglia along the chain that connect to the body wall via pre-ganglionic communicating branches from the spinal cord until
5. the major and minor splancnic nerves come off the sympathetic chains and can either go
   -to the adrenals or
   -down to the celiacocranial mesenteric ganglionic plexus (on top of celiac artery and cranial mesenteric artery)
6. celiacocranial mesenteric ganglionic plexus is joined by the celiac branch of the vagus nerve
7. lumbar splancnic nerves exit the sympathetic chain near the caudal mesenteric artery
8. caudal mesenteric ganglion gives rise to
9. right and left hypogastric nerves

Question 3

describe the path of the vagus nerve (6)

Answer 3

1. exits skull at tympano-occipital fissure and runs in vagosympathetic trunk caudally with sympathetics that are running cranially until the middle cervical ganglion
2. after middle cervical ganglion, trunk is toast and is just vagus nerve
3. past middle cervical ganglion, vagus gives off recurrent laryngeal nerve, which wraps around the ligamentum arteriosum before “recurring” back cranial to the laryngeal muscles
4. vagus continues and splits into L and R dorsal and ventral branches on top of and ventral to esophagus
5. then L and R dorsal join as dorsal vagal trunk and L and R ventral join as ventral vagal trunk and enter the abdomen with the esophagus
6. in the abdomen, vagus gives off the celiac branch, which joins the celiacocranial mesenteric ganglionic plexus

Question 4

what 2 parasympathetic components are found in the body cavity?

Answer 4

vagus nerve and pelvic nerves