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Example Question #1 : Help With Sympathetic Preganglionic Physiology
Which of the following is a feature of the sympathetic nervous system?
Some sympathetic fibers pass through the paravertebral ganglia of the sympathetic trunk; other sympathetic fibers synapse there
Sympathetic stimulation causes dilation of blood vessels in the skin of the back and limbs
Some sympathetic fibers leave the central nervous system (CNS) by specific cranial nerves
Sympathetic fibers exit the spinal cord by dorsal roots of spinal nerves
Some sympathetic fibers pass through the paravertebral ganglia of the sympathetic trunk; other sympathetic fibers synapse there
The sympathetic nervous system is one of two divisions of the autonomic nervous system; it is responsible for the "fight or flight" response and is involved in homeostasis. Some sympathetic fibers pass through the paravertebral ganglia of the sympathetic trunk, while other sympathetic fibers synapse there.
Parasympathetic nerves are associated with cranial nerves, and the dilation of blood vessels in skin of the back and limbs (the sympathetic system constricts these vessels). Preganglionic neurons originate in the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord (T2 to L1) then travel to a paravertebral ganglion or prevertebral ganglion, where they synapse with a postganglionic neruon. The paravertebral ganglion are found throughout the length of the spinal cord, including the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral areas.