Pelvic splanchnic nerves
| Nerve: Pelvic splanchnic nerves | |
|---|---|
| Latin | nervi pelvici splanchnici nervi erigentes |
| From | S2-S4 |
Pelvic splanchnic nerves or nervi erigentes are splanchnic nerves that arise from sacral spinal nerves S2, S3, S4 to provide parasympathetic innervation to the hindgut.
Structure
The pelvic splanchnic nerves arise from the ventral rami of the S2-S4 and enter the sacral plexus. They travel to their side's corresponding inferior hypogastric plexus, located bilaterally on the walls of the rectum.
From there, they contribute to the innervation of the pelvic and genital organs. The nerves regulate the emptying of the urinary bladder and the rectum as well as sexual functions like erection.
They contain both preganglionic parasympathetic fibers as well as visceral afferent fibers.
The parasympathetic nervous system is referred to as the craniosacral outflow; the pelvic splanchnic nerves are the sacral component. They are in the same region as the sacral splanchnic nerves, which arise from the sympathetic trunk and provide sympathetic efferent fibers.
The proximal 2/3 of the transverse colon, and the rest of the proximal gastrointestinal tract is supplied its parasympathetic fibers by the vagus nerve. In the distal 1/3 of the transverse colon, and through the sigmoid and rectum, the pelvic splanchnic nerves take over.
In popular culture
The pelvic splanchnic nerves are featured as a key plot point in "Parasites Lost", a 2001 episode of the American animated TV comedy Futurama.
See also
External links
- Pelvic+splanchnic+nerves at eMedicine Dictionary
- 43:15-0107 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
- Autonomics of the Abdomen - Page 7 of 16 anatomy module at med.umich.edu
- Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_32/32-6.HTM
- pelvis at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (pelvicnerves)
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