The splanchnic nerves are paired visceral nerves (nerves that contribute to the
innervation of the internal organs), carrying fibers of the
autonomic nervous system (
visceral efferent fibers
General visceral efferent fibers (GVE) or visceral efferents or autonomic efferents, are the efferent nerve fibers of the autonomic nervous system (also known as the ''visceral efferent nervous system'' that provide motor innervation to smooth ...
) as well as
sensory fibers from the organs (
visceral afferent fibers
The general visceral afferent (GVA) fibers conduct sensory impulses (usually pain or reflex sensations) from the internal organs, glands, and blood vessels to the central nervous system. They are considered to be part of the visceral nervous sys ...
). All carry
sympathetic fibers except for the
pelvic splanchnic nerves
Pelvic splanchnic nerves or nervi erigentes are splanchnic nerves that arise from sacral spinal nerves S2, S3, S4 to provide parasympathetic innervation to the organs of the pelvic cavity.
Structure
The pelvic splanchnic nerves arise from the ...
, which carry
parasympathetic
The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is one of the three divisions of the autonomic nervous system, the others being the sympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system is sometimes considered part o ...
fibers.
Types
The term ''splanchnic nerves'' can refer to:
*
Cardiopulmonary nerves[Essential Clinical Anatomy. K.L. Moore & A.M. Agur. Lippincott, 3 ed. 2007. Page 181]
*
Thoracic splanchnic nerves (greater, lesser, and least)
*
Lumbar splanchnic nerves
*
Sacral splanchnic nerves
*
Pelvic splanchnic nerves
Pelvic splanchnic nerves or nervi erigentes are splanchnic nerves that arise from sacral spinal nerves S2, S3, S4 to provide parasympathetic innervation to the organs of the pelvic cavity.
Structure
The pelvic splanchnic nerves arise from the ...
References
{{Autonomic
Autonomic nervous system