6,273
edits
Changes
Autonomic Nervous System - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 17:14, 9 March 2011
, 17:14, 9 March 2011→Sympathetic Nervous System
==Sympathetic Nervous System==
==Sympathetic Nervous System==
[[Image:ANS.png|thumb|right|300px|Autonomic Nervous System Schematic, Gray's Anatomy, 1918, WikiMedia Commons]]
The SNS is activated in stressful or physically demanding situations and can temporarily enhance the physical performance of the body in order to better cope with the stressor. The preganglionic neurons (see Basics section) of the SNS are found within the lateral horns of the spinal cord within the full length of the thoracic vertebrae and the cranial lumbar vertebrae. The number of vertebral segments containing SNS preganglionic neurones has wide variation depending on the species in question; horses have 18 thoracic segments, canines have 13 and humans have 12. In most domestic species, the cranial most 4 to 6 lumbar vertebrae contain SNS segments. These preganglionic segments are located like a string of beads along either side of the spinal cord and are referred to as ''sympathetic chain ganglia''. In most cases the number of sympathetic ganglia exceeds the number of spinal cord vertebrae containing the preganglionic cell bodies. Within the abdominal cavity ventral to the lumbar vertebrae there are three sympathetic ganglia called the ''prevertebral ganglia''.
The SNS is activated in stressful or physically demanding situations and can temporarily enhance the physical performance of the body in order to better cope with the stressor. The preganglionic neurons (see Basics section) of the SNS are found within the lateral horns of the spinal cord within the full length of the thoracic vertebrae and the cranial lumbar vertebrae. The number of vertebral segments containing SNS preganglionic neurones has wide variation depending on the species in question; horses have 18 thoracic segments, canines have 13 and humans have 12. In most domestic species, the cranial most 4 to 6 lumbar vertebrae contain SNS segments. These preganglionic segments are located like a string of beads along either side of the spinal cord and are referred to as ''sympathetic chain ganglia''. In most cases the number of sympathetic ganglia exceeds the number of spinal cord vertebrae containing the preganglionic cell bodies. Within the abdominal cavity ventral to the lumbar vertebrae there are three sympathetic ganglia called the ''prevertebral ganglia''.
<br />
<br />