Question

Sympathetic preganglionic neurons emerge from the __________ portion of the spinal cord.

Answer 1

There are choices for this question namely:

A. cranial
B. lumbar
C. thoracic
D. sacral
E. lumbar and thoracic

The correct answer is "lumbar and thoracic". The sympathetic nervous system has its preganglionic neurons at the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord (T1 to L2 or L3) and will synapse to its corresponding ganglion near the spinal cord called the paravertebral ganglia. This is in contrast to parasympathetic nervous system where its preganglionic neurons are found in the cranial and sacral (hence craniosacral) regions and synapse to its corresponding ganglion near the effector organ.