Which order of sympathetics contains postganglionic fibers?

Prepare for the NBEO Ocular Anatomy Posterior Segment and Cranial Nerves Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which order of sympathetics contains postganglionic fibers?

Explanation:
In the sympathetic pathway, the signal travels in three steps: a preganglionic neuron in the spinal cord sends an axon to a sympathetic ganglion and synapses on a postganglionic neuron, which then sends its own axon to the target organ. The fibers that actually reach and affect the organ are the postganglionic fibers, which are the third step in this sequence. The first-order component is the preganglionic neuron in the CNS, and the second-order component is the postganglionic neuron within the ganglion. Therefore, the postganglionic fibers are the third-order elements.

In the sympathetic pathway, the signal travels in three steps: a preganglionic neuron in the spinal cord sends an axon to a sympathetic ganglion and synapses on a postganglionic neuron, which then sends its own axon to the target organ. The fibers that actually reach and affect the organ are the postganglionic fibers, which are the third step in this sequence. The first-order component is the preganglionic neuron in the CNS, and the second-order component is the postganglionic neuron within the ganglion. Therefore, the postganglionic fibers are the third-order elements.

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