Intermediate Sacral Splanchnic Nerves Quiz

Q1. The sympathetic fibers in sacral splanchnic nerves have generally synapsed in which structures before entering these nerves?

• Sympathetic chain ganglia
• Ciliary ganglia
• Dorsal root ganglia
• Parasympathetic terminal ganglia

Q2. Which plexus receives sympathetic fibers from both hypogastric nerves and sacral splanchnic nerves?

• Inferior hypogastric plexus
• Cervical plexus
• Lumbar plexus
• Brachial plexus

Q3. Which nerves provide the parasympathetic component that mixes with sacral splanchnic sympathetic fibers in the inferior hypogastric plexus?

• Lumbar splanchnic nerves
• Greater splanchnic nerves
• Pelvic splanchnic nerves
• Least splanchnic nerves

Q4. What is the relationship of the sacral sympathetic trunks to the anterior surface of the sacrum?

• They pass through the sacral canal
• They descend on the pelvic surface medial to the anterior sacral foramina
• They lie posterior to the sacrum
• They pass through the greater sciatic foramen

Q5. Which sympathetic function in the male reproductive tract is supported by fibers distributed through pelvic autonomic plexuses?

• Voluntary contraction of the external urethral sphincter
• Emission
• Spermatogenesis
• Initiation of erection

Q6. Which action is associated with sympathetic innervation of the internal urethral sphincter region in males?

• Voluntary relaxation of the external urethral sphincter
• Contraction of the bulbospongiosus through somatic motor fibers
• Contraction of smooth muscle at the bladder neck
• Contraction of the detrusor to initiate urination

Q7. Why is the inferior hypogastric plexus described as mixed even though sacral splanchnic nerves are sympathetic?

• It receives no autonomic fibers
• It receives both sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers
• It consists only of somatic motor and sensory fibers
• Sacral splanchnic nerves themselves are half sympathetic and half parasympathetic

Q8. Which visceral plexus can distribute sympathetic fibers from the inferior hypogastric plexus to the urinary bladder?

• Cardiac plexus
• Vesical plexus
• Celiac plexus
• Pulmonary plexus

Q9. Which statement best describes the route of sacral splanchnic sympathetic fibers?

• Vagus nerve to sacral plexus to pelvic viscera
• Sacral spinal nerve to sciatic nerve to pelvic viscera
• Sacral sympathetic trunk to pelvic autonomic plexus to pelvic viscera
• Pudendal nerve to lumbar plexus to pelvic viscera

Q10. Which feature most reliably identifies a sacral splanchnic nerve anatomically?

• Origin from the sacral sympathetic trunk
• Passage through the obturator canal
• Passage through the greater sciatic foramen with the sciatic nerve
• Origin directly from S2 to S4 anterior rami