Nerves of the heart (Latin)

The heart (cor) is supplied mainly by the plexus cardiacus, comprising fibers from both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Sympathetic supply comes primarily from the preganglionic fibers that originate from the nucleus/columna intermediolateralis in the first four or five thoracic segments of the columna vertebralis. These fibers synapse in the cervical and superior thoracic ganglia paravertebralia of the truncus sympathicus. Postganglionic fibers from these ganglia unite to form the nn. cardiaci (n. cardiacus cervicalis superior/medius/infeiror, nn. cardiaci thoracici). Parasympathetic supply comes from the preganglion fibers that arise from neurons eitherin the nucleus posterior nervi vagi or near the nucleus ambiguus, and run in rr. cardiaci of the nn. vagi. Postganglionic parasympathetic cell bodies (intrinsic ganglia) are located in the atrial wall and septum interatriale near the nodus sinuatrialis/atrioventricularis and along the aa. coronariae.