Physical Location
The parasympathetic nerves (PSNS) are autonomic (aka "visceral") branches of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Parasympathetic nerve fibers arise from the central nervous system with the S2, S3, and S4 spinal nerves and from the third, seventh, ninth, and tenth cranial nerves. Because of its location, the parasympathetic system is commonly referred to as having "craniosacral outflow", which stands in contrast to the sympathetic nervous system, which is said to have "thoracolumbar outflow".
The parasympathetic nerves that arise from the S2, S3, and S4 spinal nerves are commonly referred to as the pelvic splanchnic nerves or the "nervi erigentes".
Read more about this topic: Parasympathetic Nervous System
Famous quotes containing the word physical:
“Even the simple act that we call “going to visit a person of our acquaintance” is in part an intellectual act. We fill the physical appearance of the person we see with all the notions we have about him, and in the totality of our impressions about him, these notions play the most important role.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)