Postganglionic Sympathetic Fibers That Innervate Structures Within the Body Wall

Question

Postganglionic sympathetic fibers that innervate structures within the body wall ________.
A) proceed directly to their peripheral targets within cranial nerves and parasympathetic nerves
B) do not return to the spinal nerve for subsequent distribution
C) enter the gray rami
D) return to the spinal nerves to provide motor innervation to structures in the ventral body cavities
E) enter the white rami

Accepted Answer

Postganglionic sympathetic fibers that innervate structures within the body wall enter the gray rami, which are branches of the spinal nerve that contain sympathetic fibers. They do not enter cranial nerves or parasympathetic nerves, and they do not return to the spinal nerves for subsequent distribution. They also do not enter the white rami, which contain preganglionic sympathetic fibers traveling from the spinal cord to sympathetic ganglia.