Quick Facts
Sympathetic Contribution: Preganglionic efferent fibers from T5-T9 spinal cord levels travel via the greater splanchnic nerve to the celiac ganglion, which sends postganglionic axons to the gastric plexuses.
Parasympathetic Contribution: Preganglionic efferent fibers from the vagus nerve travel to the left gastric artery and then join the gastric plexuses.
Course: Found on the left gastric and right gastroomental artery.
Sympathetic Supply: The sympathetic fibers innervate the vascular smooth muscle and tissues of the greater curvature of the stomach.
Parasympathetic Supply: The parasympathetic fibers innervate glandular tissue and smooth muscle of the greater curvature of the stomach.
Contributing Nerves
The gastric plexuses are continuous with the celiac plexus from which it receives primarily sympathetic efferent fibers and to which it sends visceral sensory afferent fibers.
Parasympathetic fibers from the vagal trunks join the gastric plexuses as they reach the left gastric artery on the lesser curvature of the stomach.
Course
The gastric plexuses lie on the left gastric and right gastroomental arteries. Fibers traveling along the left gastric artery distribute to corresponding territories of the upper stomach: cardia, fundus, and the body of the lesser curvature. Fibers traveling along the right gastroomental artery distribute to corresponding territories of the greater curvature and lower stomach.
Branches
The gastric plexuses do not give rise to named branches. They are connected to the celiac plexus.
Supplied Structures
The gastric plexuses are mixed plexuses conveying both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves to the stomach. It also conveys visceral sensory nerves back to the CNS.
Sympathetic efferent fibers of the gastric plexuses innervate vascular smooth muscle and tissues of the stomach. Parasympathetic efferent fibers of the superior gastric plexus innervate glandular tissue and smooth muscle of the stomach. Visceral sensory fibers carrying afferents from the stomach run through the gastric plexuses.
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Plexus
Visceral plexuses are a network of nerve fiber and ganglia surrounding organs of the abdomen and pelvis region that convey sympathetic, parasympathetic, and visceral afferent input.
