Nerves of the Thoracic Region - Listed Alphabetically
|
| Nerve |
Source |
Branches |
Motor |
Sensory |
Notes |
| cardiac plexus |
cardiac brs. of the vagus n. and cervical sympathetic
trunk; thoracic visceral nn. |
no named branches |
moderates heart muscle (parasympathetic: decreases rate
and force of contraction; sympathetic: increases rate and force of
contraction); vascular smooth muscle of the heart & lungs (sympathetic);
smooth muscle & mucous glands of bronchial tree (parasympathetic) |
pain from the heart and lungs |
cardiac plexus is continuous with the coronary and
pulmonary plexuses; thoracic visceral nn. carry pain from the heart to
the upper thoracic spinal cord segments resulting in pain referred to
the left upper limb in the T1 and T2 dermatomes |
| cardiac, sympathetic |
cervical sympathetic trunk |
no named branches |
heart (sympathetic: increases rate and force of
contraction, parasympathetic: decreases rate and force of contraction);
bronchial tree & lungs via pulmonary plexus |
heart, bronchial tree and lungs |
cervical sympathetic trunk usually gives 3 cervical
cardiac brs. l (superior, middle and inferior) to the cardiac plexus |
| cardiac, vagal |
vagus n. (X) |
no named branches |
heart (parasympathetic: decreases rate and force of
contraction; sympathetic: increases rate and force of contraction);
bronchial tree and lungs via pulmonary plexus |
heart, bronchial tree and lungs |
vagus n. has 2 cervical cardiac brs. (superior and
inferior) and 1 or more thoracic cardiac brs. |
| dorsal primary ramus |
first branch off of the dorsal side of the spinal nerve |
numerous |
to the deep back mm.; sympathetic innervation to the
skin |
general sense (touch, pressure, pain, heat, cold, etc.)
to the skin of the back |
a mixed nerve containing both motor and sensory fibers |
| dorsal root |
from the dorsal horn of the spinal cord to the spinal
nerve |
none |
none |
general sense (touch, pressure, pain, heat, cold, etc.) |
dorsal root is entirely sensory in function; it is
located dorsal to the denticulate ligament |
| dorsal root ganglion |
dorsal rootlets |
dorsal rootlets |
none |
one dermatome |
a sensory ganglion; located in the intervertebral
foramen of the vertebral column on the dorsal root - one per spinal
nerve; location of the cell bodies of somatic afferent (sensory) neurons |
| esophageal plexus |
right and left vagus (X) nn.; thoracic visceral brs. of
the sympathetic trunk |
anterior and posterior vagal trunks |
preganglionic parasympathetic axons from the vagus n.
supply smooth muscle and glands of the thoracic esophagus and abdominal
gut and its derivatives proximal to the left colic flexure;
postganglionic sympathetic axons from the thoracic visceral brs. supply
vascular smooth muscle in the esophageal vessels |
vagus: GVA from the esophagus and abdominal gut
proximal to the left colic flexure; thoracic visceral brs.carry pain
from the esophagus |
during development of the gut, the stomach and
esophagus rotate 90° to the right with the result that the left and
right vagus nerves mix in the esophageal plexus and emerge as anterior
and posterior vagal trunks |
| ganglia, sympathetic chain |
preganglionic sympathetic fibers arrive via white rami
communicantes of ventral primary rami of spinal nerves T1-L2 |
postganglionic sympathetic fibers depart via gray rami
communicantes to all spinal nn.; internal & external carotid nn.;
cervical cardiac brs.; thoracic direct visceral brs.; greater, lesser
& least thoracic splanchnic nn.; lumbar splanchnic nn.; sacral
splanchnic nn. |
dilator pupillae, vascular smooth muscle, arrector pili
muscles, sweat glands, suprarenal medulla, heart, lungs and gut |
pain from viscera |
located lateral to the vertebral bodies in the neck,
thorax & abdominopelvic cavity; the ganglia plus their
interconnecting fibers are also known as the sympathetic trunk;
preganglionic cell bodies are located in the intermediolateral gray
matter of spinal cord levels T1-L2 |
| ganglion, dorsal root |
dorsal rootlets |
dorsal rootlets |
none |
one dermatome |
a sensory ganglion; located in the intervertebral
foramen of the vertebral column on the dorsal root - one per spinal
nerve; location of the cell bodies of somatic afferent (sensory) neurons |
| gray ramus communicans |
cell bodies located in the sympathetic chain ganglia |
none |
carries postganglionic sympathetic axons to the spinal
nerve; spinal nerve will carry those axons peripherally to the skin,
blood vessels, etc. |
none |
gray rami communicantes connect the sympathetic chain
to spinal nerves at all vertebral levels |
| greater thoracic splanchnic n. |
neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of spinal
cord levels T5-T9; the greater thoracic splanchnic nerve appears to
arise by multiple contributions from the sympathetic trunk |
no named branches |
celiac ganglion; preganglionic fibers supply the
adrenal medulla which releases epinephrine and norepinephrine into the
blood |
pain from the abdominal viscera |
greater thoracic splanchnic n. passes through the crus
of the respiratory diaphragm; postganglionic processes from the celiac
ganglion spread down the aorta and distribute with its branches; they
innervate the vascular smooth of these vessels and vascular smooth
muscle of the organs supplied |
| intercostal n. |
ventral primary rami of spinal nerves T1-T11 |
lateral & anterior cutaneous brs. |
intercostal muscles; abdominal wall muscles (via
T7-T11); muscles of the forearm and hand (via T1) |
skin of the chest and abdomen anterolaterally; skin of
the medial side of the upper limb (via T1-T2) |
intercostal n.travels below the posterior intercostal
a. in the costal groove |
| intercostobrachial n. |
also known as the lateral cutaneous br. of the ventral
primary ramus of T2 |
no named branches |
sympathetic motor innervation to skin |
skin of the medial side of the arm |
intercostobrachial n. communicates with the medial
brachial cutaneous nerve |
| intermediate supraclavicular n. |
cervical plexus (C3&C4) |
no named branches |
none |
skin of the root of the neck and upper chest, near the
mid-clavicle |
pain from respiratory diaphragm is referred to the
shoulder |
| lateral supraclavicular n. |
cervical plexus (C3&C4) |
no named branches |
none |
skin of the root of the neck and upper shoulder |
pain from respiratory diaphragm is referred to the
shoulder |
| least thoracic splanchnic n. |
neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of spinal
cord level T12 |
no named branches |
renal plexus |
pain from the kidney and suprarenal gland |
least thoracic splanchnic n.pass through the crus of
the diaphragm; it synapses in minute ganglia located in the renal plexus |
| lesser thoracic splanchnic n. |
neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of spinal
cord levels T10-T11; the lesser thoracic splanchnic nerve appears to
arise by multiple contributions from the sympathetic trunk |
no named branches |
aorticorenal ganglion; |
pain from the kidney and suprarenal gland |
lesser thoracic splanchnic n. passes through the crus
of the respiratory diaphragm; postganglionic processes from the ganglion
supply vascular smooth muscle of branches of the renal a. and suprarenal
aa.; kidney and suprarenal gland |
| medial supraclavicular n. |
cervical plexus (C3&C4) |
no named branches |
none |
skin of the root of the neck and upper chest,
anteriorly |
pain from respiratory diaphragm is referred to the
shoulder |
| phrenic n. |
ventral primary rami of spinal nerves C3-C5 (cervical
plexus) |
no named branches |
skeletal muscle of the respiratory diaphragm |
diaphragmatic pleura; some fibers contributed to the
pericardium and to the adjacent mediastinal and costal pleurae |
phrenic n. crosses the anterior surface of the anterior
scalene m. |
| plexus, cardiac |
cardiac brs. of the vagus n. and cervical sympathetic
trunk; thoracic visceral nn. |
no named branches |
moderates heart muscle (parasympathetic: decreases rate
and force of contraction; sympathetic: increases rate and force of
contraction); vascular smooth muscle of the heart & lungs (sympathetic);
smooth muscle & mucous glands of bronchial tree (parasympathetic) |
pain from the heart and lungs |
cardiac plexus is continuous with the coronary and
pulmonary plexuses; thoracic visceral nn. carry pain from the heart to
the upper thoracic spinal cord segments resulting in pain referred to
the left upper limb in the T1 and T2 dermatomes |
| plexus, esophageal |
right and left vagus (X) nn.; thoracic visceral brs. of
the sympathetic trunk |
anterior and posterior vagal trunks |
preganglionic parasympathetic axons from the vagus n.
supply smooth muscle and glands of the thoracic esophagus and abdominal
gut and its derivatives proximal to the left colic flexure;
postganglionic sympathetic axons from the thoracic visceral brs. supply
vascular smooth muscle in the esophageal vessels |
vagus: GVA from the esophagus and abdominal gut
proximal to the left colic flexure; thoracic visceral brs.carry pain
from the esophagus |
during development of the gut, the stomach and
esophagus rotate 90° to the right with the result that the left and
right vagus nerves mix in the esophageal plexus and emerge as anterior
and posterior vagal trunks |
| plexus, pulmonary |
continuous with the cardiac plexus; thoracic visceral
nn.; pulmonary brs. of vagus |
no named branches |
parasympathetic: smooth muscle & glands of the
bronchial tree; sympathetic: vascular smooth muscle of the lungs |
none |
pulmonary plexus is located along the pulmonary vessels
and primary bronchi in the root of the lung |
| preaortic ganglia |
splanchnic nn. |
plexuses to abdominal and pelvic viscera |
vascular smooth muscle of vessels that supply
abdominopelvic viscera |
pain from abdominopelvic viscera |
also known as: collateral ganglia which include the
celiac ganglion, aorticorenal ganglion, superior mesenteric ganglion and
inferior mesenteric ganglion; preganglionic parasympathetic axons of
vagal trunk origin pass through the preaortic ganglia but do not synapse
there |
| ramus communicans, gray |
cell bodies located in the sympathetic chain ganglia |
none |
carries postganglionic sympathetic axons to the spinal
nerve; spinal nerve will carry those axons peripherally to the skin,
blood vessels, etc. |
none |
gray rami communicantes connect the sympathetic chain
to spinal nerves at all vertebral levels |
| ramus communicans, white |
cell bodies located in the lateral horn gray matter of
spinal cord levels T1-L2; |
none |
axons contained within white rami communicantes will
synapse on postganglionic cell bodies that will ultimately innervate the
skin, viscera, glands, blood vessels, etc. |
pain from viscera is carried back to the spinal cord
through the white ramus communicans |
white rami communicantes connect the sympathetic chain
to spinal nerves at vertebral levels T1-L2; carries preganglionic
sympathetic axons |
| ramus, dorsal primary |
first branch off of the dorsal side of the spinal nerve |
numerous |
to the deep back mm.; sympathetic innervation to the
skin |
general sense (touch, pressure, pain, heat, cold, etc.)
to the skin of the back |
a mixed nerve containing both motor and sensory fibers |
| ramus, ventral primary |
first branch off of the ventral side of the spinal
nerve |
numerous |
to skeletal mm. of the neck, trunk and extremities;
sympathetic innervation to the skin |
general sense (touch, pressure, pain, heat, cold, etc.)
to the skin of the trunk (except the back) and extremities; visceral
pain via the white rami of the sympathetic nervous system (T1-L2) |
a mixed nerve containing both motor and sensory fibers |
| root, dorsal |
from the dorsal horn of the spinal cord to the spinal
nerve |
none |
none |
general sense (touch, pressure, pain, heat, cold, etc.) |
dorsal root is entirely sensory in function; it is
located dorsal to the denticulate ligament |
| root, ventral |
from the ventral horn of the spinal cord to the spinal
nerve |
none |
to skeletal mm.; preganglionic sympathetic (T1-L2) |
none |
entirely motor in function; located ventral to the
denticulate ligament; at all spinal core levels it contains GSE for
skeletal mm.; at levels T1-L2 it contains GVE (preganglionic sympathetic)
for blood vessels, sweat glands, thoracic viscera, abdominal viscera,
pelvic viscera |
| splanchnic, greater thoracic |
neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of spinal
cord levels T5-T9; the greater thoracic splanchnic nerve appears to
arise by multiple contributions from the sympathetic trunk |
no named branches |
celiac ganglion; preganglionic fibers supply the
adrenal medulla which releases epinephrine and norepinephrine into the
blood |
pain from the abdominal viscera |
greater thoracic splanchnic n. passes through the crus
of the respiratory diaphragm; postganglionic processes from the celiac
ganglion spread down the aorta and distribute with its branches; they
innervate the vascular smooth of these vessels and vascular smooth
muscle of the organs supplied |
| splanchnic, least thoracic |
neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of spinal
cord level T12 |
no named branches |
renal plexus |
pain from the kidney and suprarenal gland |
least thoracic splanchnic n.pass through the crus of
the diaphragm; it synapses in minute ganglia located in the renal plexus |
| splanchnic, lesser thoracic |
neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of spinal
cord levels T10-T11; the lesser thoracic splanchnic nerve appears to
arise by multiple contributions from the sympathetic trunk |
no named branches |
aorticorenal ganglion; |
pain from the kidney and suprarenal gland |
lesser thoracic splanchnic n. passes through the crus
of the respiratory diaphragm; postganglionic processes from the ganglion
supply vascular smooth muscle of branches of the renal a. and suprarenal
aa.; kidney and suprarenal gland |
| stellate ganglion |
neurons in the intermediolateral cell column of spinal
cord level T1 |
gray rami communicans to spinal nerves C8 and T1 (postganglionic
sympathetic); thoracic visceral br. |
vascular smooth muscle, arrector pili muscle, sweat
glands of the C8 & T1 cutaneous distribution on chest & upper
limb (C8 and T1 dermatomes); vascular smooth muscle of the lungs |
pain from lungs |
stellate ganglion is formed by the fusion of the
inferior cervical sympathetic ganglion and the T1 ganglion of the
sympathetic trunk |
| supraclavicular, intermediate |
cervical plexus (C3&C4) |
no named branches |
none |
skin of the root of the neck and upper chest, near the
mid-clavicle |
pain from respiratory diaphragm is referred to the
shoulder |
| supraclavicular, lateral |
cervical plexus (C3&C4) |
no named branches |
none |
skin of the root of the neck and upper shoulder |
pain from respiratory diaphragm is referred to the
shoulder |
| supraclavicular, medial |
cervical plexus (C3&C4) |
no named branches |
none |
skin of the root of the neck and upper chest,
anteriorly |
pain from respiratory diaphragm is referred to the
shoulder |
| sympathetic chain ganglia |
preganglionic sympathetic fibers arrive via white rami
communicantes of ventral primary rami of spinal nerves T1-L2 |
postganglionic sympathetic fibers depart via gray rami
communicantes to all spinal nn.; internal & external carotid nn.;
cervical cardiac brs.; thoracic direct visceral brs.; greater, lesser
& least thoracic splanchnic nn.; lumbar splanchnic nn.; sacral
splanchnic nn. |
dilator pupillae, vascular smooth muscle, arrector pili
muscles, sweat glands, suprarenal medulla, heart, lungs and gut |
pain from viscera |
located lateral to the vertebral bodies in the neck,
thorax & abdominopelvic cavity; the ganglia plus their
interconnecting fibers are also known as the sympathetic trunk;
preganglionic cell bodies are located in the intermediolateral gray
matter of spinal cord levels T1-L2 |
| vagus n. |
medulla: dorsal motor nucleus (GVE preganglionic
parasympathetic); inferior ganglion (GVA); nucleus ambiguus (SVE);
superior ganglion (GSA); inferior ganglion(SVA) |
auricular br., pharyngeal br., superior laryngeal,
superior and inferior cervical cardiac brs., recurrent laryngeal n.,
thoracic cardiac brs., brs. to the pulmonary plexus, brs. to the
esophageal plexus, anterior and posterior vagal trunks |
SVE: intrinsic muscles of the larynx, pharynx (except
stylopharyngeus), and palate (except tensor veli palatini); GVE: smooth
muscle of the respiratory tree & gut (proximal to the left colic
flexure), heart; secretomotor: mucous glands of the larynx, respiratory
tree, pharynx and gut; secretomotor to digestive glands |
GSA: skin of the external auditory meatus; GVA: viscera
of head, neck, thorax & abdomen proximal to the left colic flexure;
SVA: taste from the epiglottis |
also known as: CN X, 10th cranial nerve; the vagus n.
passes through the jugular foramen to exit the posterior cranial fossa;
vagus means "wanderer" in reference to its extensive
distribution to the body cavities |
| ventral primary ramus |
first branch off of the ventral side of the spinal
nerve |
numerous |
to skeletal mm. of the neck, trunk and extremities;
sympathetic innervation to the skin |
general sense (touch, pressure, pain, heat, cold, etc.)
to the skin of the trunk (except the back) and extremities; visceral
pain via the white rami of the sympathetic nervous system (T1-L2) |
a mixed nerve containing both motor and sensory fibers |
| ventral root |
from the ventral horn of the spinal cord to the spinal
nerve |
none |
to skeletal mm.; preganglionic sympathetic (T1-L2) |
none |
entirely motor in function; located ventral to the
denticulate ligament; at all spinal core levels it contains GSE for
skeletal mm.; at levels T1-L2 it contains GVE (preganglionic sympathetic)
for blood vessels, sweat glands, thoracic viscera, abdominal viscera,
pelvic viscera |
| white ramus communicans |
cell bodies located in the lateral horn gray matter of
spinal cord levels T1-L2; |
none |
axons contained within white rami communicantes will
synapse on postganglionic cell bodies that will ultimately innervate the
skin, viscera, glands, blood vessels, etc. |
pain from viscera is carried back to the spinal cord
through the white ramus communicans |
white rami communicantes connect the sympathetic chain
to spinal nerves at vertebral levels T1-L2; carries preganglionic
sympathetic axons |
