The intermediolateral nucleus (IML) is a region of

grey matter Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil ( dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells ( astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), synapses, and capillaries. Grey matter is ...

found in one of the three grey columns of the

spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the sp ...

, the lateral grey column. This is Rexed lamina VII. The intermediolateral cell column exists at vertebral levels T1 – L3. It mediates the entire sympathetic innervation of the body, but the nucleus resides in the grey matter of the

. Rexed Lamina VII contains several well defined nuclei including the

nucleus dorsalis The posterior thoracic nucleus, (Clarke's column, column of Clarke, dorsal nucleus, nucleus dorsalis of Clarke) is a group of interneurons found in the medial part of lamina VII, also known as the intermediate zone, of the spinal cord. It is mainl ...

(Clarke's column), the intermediolateral nucleus, and the sacral autonomic nucleus. It extends from T1 to L3, and contains the autonomic

motor neuron A motor neuron (or motoneuron or efferent neuron) is a neuron whose cell body is located in the motor cortex, brainstem or the spinal cord, and whose axon (fiber) projects to the spinal cord or outside of the spinal cord to directly or indirect ...

s that give rise to the preganglionic fibers of the

sympathetic nervous system The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is one of the three divisions of the autonomic nervous system, the others being the parasympathetic nervous system and the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system is sometimes considered part of t ...

, (preganglionic sympathetic general visceral efferents).

References

Spinal cord {{neuroanatomy-stub