Postganglionic sympathetic fibres leave the sympathetic trunk to rejoin spinal nerves for distribution to blood vessels and sweat glands of the body wall. Which structure carries these fibres?
- A White ramus communicans
- B Visceral branch to the prevertebral plexus
- C Gray ramus communicans ✓
- D Recurrent meningeal nerve
Correct answer: C. Gray ramus communicans
Explanation
Gray rami communicantes contain unmyelinated postganglionic sympathetic fibres passing from the sympathetic trunk back into every spinal nerve, which is why every spinal nerve receives a gray ramus. The white ramus carries myelinated preganglionic fibres in the opposite direction and exists only from T1 to L2. Visceral branches carry fibres onward to prevertebral ganglia rather than into spinal nerves.
Reference: Gray's Anatomy for Students, 4th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.