What exactly is a splanchnic nerve?

[darktooth]

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Are they only associated with preganglion? Are they specific nerves or groups of nerves?

In our previous block the only mention of splanchnic was the greater splanchnic in the thoracic region. I was under the impression it was the name of a single nerve, like Vagus. Now suddenly the powerpoints say "the splanchnic nerves in X region", and the book confuses me as well.

Anyone good at this concept willing to explain it briefly?

Thanks 🙂

 

[arkdoc]

I will be honest, it has been a while since I had anatomy, and I am doing this without looking it up. That being said there is more than one, greater, lesser, and least I believe. They are nerves that come off the the sympathetic chain/trunk and enter the abdomen. Like other sympathetic nerves, they synapse "far" away from their end locations. The synapse is on the pre-aortic ganglia...these can be the celiac ganglia or SM ganglia...etc. The the post ganglionic fibers travel to their end sites in the abdomen. Hope this helps.

 

[SoulinNeed]

They are a couple of different types, but the usual definition is a group of sympathetic nerves whose ganglion (area where they synapse) is outside of the sympathetic trunk, and closer to the target body.

 

[lovemango]

They are a couple of different types, but the usual definition is a group of sympathetic nerves whose ganglion (area where they synapse) is outside of the sympathetic trunk, and closer to the target body.

All of the splanchnic nerves have sympathetic fibers except pelvic splanchnic = parasympathetic.

 

[ClotBuster]

yup they synapse in prevertebral ganglia instead of in the sympathetic chain ganglia