Gray ramus communicans

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Gray ramus communicans
Scheme showing structure of a typical spinal nerve. 1. Somatic efferent. 2. Somatic afferent. 3,4,5. Sympathetic efferent. 6,7. Sympathetic afferent.
Diagram of the course and branches of a typical intercostal nerve. (Rami communicantes labeled at center.)
Latin	rami communicantes grisei
Gray's	subject #208 920

Each spinal nerve receives a branch, gray ramus communicans, from the adjacent ganglion of the sympathetic trunk.

They contain unmyelinated postganglionic sympathetic fibers.

[edit] Additional images

Deep and superficial dissection of the lumbar plexus.

Thoracic portion of the sympathetic trunk.

[edit] See also

• White ramus communicans

[edit] External links

• Dictionary at eMedicine gray+rami+communicantes
• Atlas of anatomy at UMich n3a6p1 - "Autonomic Connections of the Spinal Cord"
• Overview and diagram

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Nerves - autonomic nervous system

sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system HEAD/parasympathetic ganglion: ciliary ganglion (short ciliary nerves) - pterygopalatine ganglion (nerve of pterygoid canal) - submandibular ganglion - otic ganglion NECK: cavernous plexus - cervical ganglia: (superior, middle, inferior), stellate ganglion, internal carotid THORAX: thoracic splanchnic nerves, cardiac plexus, superior cardiac nerve, middle cardiac nerve, inferior cardiac nerve sympathetic trunks (white ramus communicans, gray ramus communicans) - collateral ganglia - sympathetic ganglion ABDOMEN: inferior mesenteric - hepatic - splenic - gastric - pancreatic - suprarenal hypogastric: superior hypogastric - inferior hypogastric - vesical - prostatic - uterovaginal, lumbar splanchnic, sacral splanchnic, celiac: celiac ganglia - aorticorenal - renal - spermatic/ovarian - superior mesenteric - aortic plexus Enteric nervous system: Meissner's plexus • Auerbach's plexus PELVIS: ganglion impar, pelvic splanchnic

v • d • e Anatomy of torso (primarily): the spinal cord

epidural space, dura mater, subdural space, arachnoid mater, subarachnoid space, pia mater, denticulate ligaments conus medullaris, cauda equina, filum terminale, cervical enlargement, lumbar enlargement, anterior median fissure spinal nerve: dorsal root, dorsal root ganglion, dorsal ramus, ventral root, ventral ramus, sympathetic trunk, ramus communicans (gray, white) gray matter: central canal, substantia gelatinosa of Rolando, reticular formation, substantia gelatinosa centralis, interneuron, anterior horn, lateral horn, posterior horn (column of Clarke, dorsal spinocerebellar tract) white matter: anterior funiculus: descending (anterior corticospinal tract, vestibulospinal fasciculus, tectospinal tract), ascending (anterior spinothalamic tract, anterior proper fasciculus) lateral funiculus: descending (lateral corticospinal tract, rubrospinal tract, olivospinal tract), ascending (dorsal spinocerebellar tract, ventral spinocerebellar tract, spinothalamic tract, lateral spinothalamic tract, anterior spinothalamic tract, spinotectal tract, posterolateral tract, lateral proper fasciculus, medial longitudinal fasciculus posterior funiculus: fasciculus gracilis, fasciculus cuneatus, posterior proper fasciculus