Ganglions???

Question

I'm doing Bio 30 (in alberta) and the text book talks about pre and post ganglionic nerves. Nowhere in the textbook does it say what a ganglion is. I've looked it up on wikipedia and elsewhere, but it gives this huge complicated explaination. I just need to know whatthe ganglion is, so I can know what is meant by pre and post ganglionic nerves.

Answer 1

Ganglia (when referring to the autonomic nervous system as you are) are clusters of neuronal cell bodies.

The preganglionic nerves of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) terminate just lateral to the spine at the sympathetic chain ganglia (some of thish are the superial cervical ganglion, collateral ganglion, etc...). From there a long (relative to the PNS) postganglionic fiber innervates its target organ.

This is different for the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) where the preganglionic nerve fibers travel almost all the way to the target organ where it synapses with a ganglion (pterygopalatine ganglion, ciliary ganglion, etc...)and is continued by the postsynaptic nerve fiber.

The sympathetic ganglion cells are the white clusters just lateral to the spine in the third link.


Basically:

pregang > ganglion > postgang

Answer 2

i had a lump on the back of my hand, it comes and goes. The doctor said it was a ganglion, some kind of nerves i guess that filled up with fluid from the wrist. Its caused by doing a lot of work with the hands, but harmless, can be drained if a person wants. Not much info, but hope i helped. Good luck in your studies!