Gray rami communicantes

Definition

Gray rami communicantes are nerve fibers that connect the sympathetic ganglia to spinal nerves, allowing sympathetic nerve signals to travel to various parts of the body. They contain mostly unmyelinated postganglionic fibers, facilitating the distribution of autonomic signals.

Related terms

Autonomic Nervous System:

A part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary body functions such as heartbeat and digestion.

Sympathetic Ganglia: Clusters of nerve cell bodies in the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system that act as relay points for transmitting nerve signals.

Postganglionic Fibers: Nerve fibers that extend from a ganglion to target organs or glands, involved in transmitting nerve impulses in the autonomic nervous system