Lesser thoracic splanchnic nerve

Nervus splanchnicus thoracicus minor

  • Latin synonym: Nervus splanchnicus minor
  • Synonym: Lesser splanchnic nerve
  • Related terms: Lesser splanchnic nerve

Definition

Lesser thoracic splanchnic nerve is a visceral sympathetic nerve which arises from the 9th and 10th thoracic ganglia and occasionally from the 10th and 11th thoracic ganglia of the sympathetic chain, on either side. The nerve descends ventrally and medially as it pierces the crus of the diaphragm–along with the greater splanchnic nerve–to terminate at the aorticorenal ganglion on either side, within the coeliac prevertebral plexus.

Like most other splanchnic nerves, the lesser thoracic splanchnic nerve contains pre-ganglionic sympathetic neurons, which arise from the lateral gray horns of spinal cord and traverse un-relayed through the sympathetic trunk. They synapse with cell bodies of post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons within the aorticorenal ganglion or the superior mesenteric ganglion. From here onwards, the post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons follow the coeliac plexus as it invests the arterial branches of the superior mesenteric artery to reach the myenteric and submucosal plexuses in the midgut, inhibiting the motility and secretions in this region.

Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2022 IMAIOS.

  • Drake, R.L., Vogl, A.W. and Mitchell, A.W.M. (2009). ‘Chapter 3: Thorax ’ in Gray’s anatomy for Students. (2nd ed.) Philadelphia PA 19103-2899: Elsevier, pp. 222-223.

  • McCausland, C. and Sajjad, H. Anatomy, Back, Splanchnic Nerve. [Updated 2022 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549856/

  • Loukas, M., Klaassen, Z., Merbs, W., Tubbs, R.S., Gielecki, J. and Zurada, A. (2010). A review of the thoracic splanchnic nerves and celiac ganglia. Clin. Anat., 23: pp. 512-522. https://doi.org/10.1002/ca.20964


Comparative anatomy in animals

Translations

Translations