Skip to main content

Sympathetic Preganglionic Neurons

Meaning

Sympathetic preganglionic neurons are the efferent nerve cells of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system (SNS) whose cell bodies are located in the intermediolateral cell column of the spinal cord, extending from the T1 to L2 segments. These neurons possess relatively short axons that exit the spinal cord and travel to synapse within ganglia of the sympathetic chain or collateral ganglia. They release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) onto the postganglionic neurons, initiating the “fight or flight” response essential for mobilizing energy reserves and preparing the body for immediate action.