Visceral Efferents
« Back to Glossary IndexVisceral efferents are motor fibers that transmit impulses from central nervous system (CNS) to the body’s glands, heart, and smooth muscles. Also see General Senses, Somatic Efferents and Efferents. Two types related to sensory impulses they transmit:
- Special visceral efferent (SVE) innervate (supply with nerves) the striated muscles of the pharynx, palate, larynx, and upper esophagus. The facial nerve’s SVE fibers innervate the salivary and lacrimal glands. Damage to these fibers can cause facial paralysis.
- General visceral efferents (GVE) innervate involuntary muscles and secreting glands.
Visceral efferents are also part of the sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous systems, carrying signals to internal organs and glands. They are “output” in the ANS—responsible for controlling heartrate, digestion, blood pressure, sweating by sending signals to smooth muscles and glands.
- Sympathetic visceral efferents are motor neurons originating in the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord regions that are often associated with fight-or-flight responses (FFR).
- Parasympathetic visceral efferents, arising from the brainstem/spinal cord, are associated with rest and digest functions. They’re the same as GVE fibers, which travel with facial, oculomotor, glosso-pharyngeal, and vagus nerves—regulating endocrine/exocrine secretions, GI motility, and heartrate
English