Thoracic splanchnic nerves

The major splanchnic nerve ( "big guts nerve", from Greek splanchnon " guts ") is a nerve of the sympathetic nervous system. It rises when people on both sides from the 5th to the 9th thoracic segment of the spinal cord, in domestic animals from the 8th to the third last. Then pull the nerve fibers, without change in the ganglia of the sympathetic trunk, parallel to the sympathetic trunk with the azygos vein through the diaphragm into the abdominal cavity.

The splanchnic nerve major draws to the prevertebral ganglia, especially the celiac ganglion. Only there, the nerve fibers are switched to the second, post-synaptic neuron. In addition, the fibers go to the adrenal medulla.

The sympathetic nerve fibers act on the blood vessels and thus regulate blood flow to the organs of the upper abdomen. In addition, they have an inhibitory effect on the function of the gastrointestinal tract.