Describe the major anatomical differences between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches.

What will be an ideal response?


Sympathetic pathways exit the spinal cord in the thoracic and lumbar regions whereas parasympathetic pathways exit through the cranial and sacral regions. Also, sympathetic ganglia are located near the spinal cord; and therefore, sympathetic pathways typically have short preganglionic fibers and long postganglionic fibers. In contrast, parasympathetic ganglia are located on or near their target tissue; and therefore, parasympathetic pathways have long preganglionic fibers and short postganglionic fibers.

Anatomy & Physiology

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