parasympathetic nervous system

parasympathetic part of autonomic division of nervous system

The parasympathetic nervous system is one of the two divisions of the vertebrate autonomic nervous system. Parasympathetic nerves emerge cranially as pre ganglionic fibers from oculomotor, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus and from the sacral region of the spinal cord. Most neurons are cholinergic and responses are mediated by muscarinic receptors. The parasympathetic system innervates, for example: salivary glands, thoracic and abdominal viscera, bladder and genitalia[GO].

Type Bone
Système corporel Nervous
Structure parente structure with developmental contribution from neural crest
Nom latin parasympathetic part of autonomic division of nervous system
FMA ID 9907

Questions fréquentes

What is the craniosacral outflow of the parasympathetic nervous system?
Parasympathetic preganglionic fibers originate from two regions: cranially from the brainstem via cranial nerves III (oculomotor), VII (facial), IX (glossopharyngeal), and X (vagus), and sacrally from spinal cord levels S2-S4. This craniosacral pattern distinguishes it from the thoracolumbar sympathetic system.
What neurotransmitter does the parasympathetic nervous system use?
Both preganglionic and postganglionic parasympathetic neurons release acetylcholine as their neurotransmitter, making them cholinergic. Acetylcholine acts on nicotinic receptors at ganglia and muscarinic receptors at target organs.
What are the main effects of parasympathetic activation on the body?
Parasympathetic activation promotes rest-and-digest responses: decreasing heart rate, stimulating salivation and digestion, constricting pupils, promoting urination and defecation, and enabling sexual arousal. It conserves and restores body energy.

Structures associées

accessory nucleus of optic tract nuclei accessorii tractus optici muscle spindle muscle stretch receptor mushroom body corpora pedunculata myelencephalon sulcus limitans cavum septum pellucidum cave of septum pellucidum spinal cord commissure neodentate part of dentate nucleus neodentate portion of dentate nucleus nerve nerves

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Data sources: Terminologia Anatomica, Foundational Model of Anatomy, Wikidata.