General visceral efferent fibers

General visceral efferent fibers
	Scheme showing structure of a typical spinal nerve.; 1. Somatic efferent.; 2. Somatic afferent.; 3,4,5. Sympathetic efferent.; 6,7. Sympathetic afferent.
	Anatomical terminology

The term general efferent fibers (GVE or visceral efferent or autonomic efferent) refers to the efferent neurons of the autonomic nervous system that provide motor innervation to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands (contrast with SVE fibers) through postganglionic varicosities.^[1]

GVE fibers may be either sympathetic or parasympathetic.^[2]

The cranial nerves containing GVE fibers include the oculomotor nerve (CN III), the facial nerve (CN VII), the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and the vagus nerve (CN X).^[3]

Additional images

Sympathetic connections of the ciliary and superior cervical ganglia.

References

^ Drake, Vogl, Mitchell (2010). Gray's Anatomy for Students, 2nd Edition. Elsevier.
^ Drake, Vogl, Mitchell (2010). Gray's Anatomy for Students, 2nd Edition. Elsevier.
^ Mehta, Samir et al. Step-Up: A High-Yield, Systems-Based Review for the USMLE Step 1. Baltimore, MD: LWW, 2003.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 849 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

[1] Drake, Vogl, Mitchell (2010). Gray's Anatomy for Students, 2nd Edition. Elsevier.

[2] Drake, Vogl, Mitchell (2010). Gray's Anatomy for Students, 2nd Edition. Elsevier.

[3] Mehta, Samir et al. Step-Up: A High-Yield, Systems-Based Review for the USMLE Step 1. Baltimore, MD: LWW, 2003.

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General visceral efferent fibers
Scheme showing structure of a typical spinal nerve. 1. Somatic efferent. 2. Somatic afferent. 3,4,5. Sympathetic efferent. 6,7. Sympathetic afferent.
*Anatomical terminology*

General visceral efferent fibers

Additional images

See also

References