A
nerve plexus is a network of intersecting
nerveA nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of peripheral axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons. Nerves are found only in the peripheral nervous system...
s. They combine sets of
spinalIn human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 33 vertebrae, the sacrum, intervertebral discs, and the coccyx situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by spinal discs...
nerves that serve the same area of the body into one large grouped nerve. There are several in the body, including:
- Cervical plexus
The cervical plexus is a plexus of the ventral rami of the first four cervical spinal nerves which are located from C1 to C4 cervical segment in the neck. They are located laterally to the transverse processes between prevertebral muscles from the medial side and vertebral from lateral side...
- serves the head, neck and shoulders
- Brachial plexus
The brachial plexus is an arrangement of nerve fibers, running from the spine, formed by the ventral rami of the lower cervical and upper thoracic nerve root, specifically from below the fifth cervical vertebra to above the first thoracic vertebra...
- serves the chest, shoulders, arms and hands
- Lumbar plexus
The lumbar plexus is a nervous plexus in the lumbar region of the body which forms part of the lumbosacral plexus. It is formed by the ventral divisions of the first four lumbar nerves and from contributions of the subcostal nerve , which is the the last thoracic nerve...
- serves the back, abdomen, groin, thighs, knees, and calves
- Sacral plexus
In human anatomy, the sacral plexus is a nerve plexus which, as part of the lumbosacral plexus, emerges from the sacral vertebrae , and which provides motor and sensory nerves for the posterior thigh, most of the lower leg, the entire foot, and part of the pelvis.-Composition:The sacral plexus is...
- serves the pelvis, buttocks, genitals, thighs, calves, and feet
- Solar plexus - serves internal organs
- Coccygeal plexus
The coccygeal plexus is a plexus of nerves near the coccyx bone.-Structure:This plexus is formed by the fifth sacral nerve and the coccygeal nerve...
- Same as Solar Plexus
Since the Lumbar and Sacral plexus are interconnected, they are sometimes referred to as the Lumbosacral plexus.
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A
nerve plexus is a network of intersecting
nerveA nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of peripheral axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons. Nerves are found only in the peripheral nervous system...
s. They combine sets of
spinalIn human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 33 vertebrae, the sacrum, intervertebral discs, and the coccyx situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by spinal discs...
nerves that serve the same area of the body into one large grouped nerve. There are several in the body, including:
- Cervical plexus
The cervical plexus is a plexus of the ventral rami of the first four cervical spinal nerves which are located from C1 to C4 cervical segment in the neck. They are located laterally to the transverse processes between prevertebral muscles from the medial side and vertebral from lateral side...
- serves the head, neck and shoulders
- Brachial plexus
The brachial plexus is an arrangement of nerve fibers, running from the spine, formed by the ventral rami of the lower cervical and upper thoracic nerve root, specifically from below the fifth cervical vertebra to above the first thoracic vertebra...
- serves the chest, shoulders, arms and hands
- Lumbar plexus
The lumbar plexus is a nervous plexus in the lumbar region of the body which forms part of the lumbosacral plexus. It is formed by the ventral divisions of the first four lumbar nerves and from contributions of the subcostal nerve , which is the the last thoracic nerve...
- serves the back, abdomen, groin, thighs, knees, and calves
- Sacral plexus
In human anatomy, the sacral plexus is a nerve plexus which, as part of the lumbosacral plexus, emerges from the sacral vertebrae , and which provides motor and sensory nerves for the posterior thigh, most of the lower leg, the entire foot, and part of the pelvis.-Composition:The sacral plexus is...
- serves the pelvis, buttocks, genitals, thighs, calves, and feet
- Solar plexus - serves internal organs
- Coccygeal plexus
The coccygeal plexus is a plexus of nerves near the coccyx bone.-Structure:This plexus is formed by the fifth sacral nerve and the coccygeal nerve...
- Same as Solar Plexus
Since the Lumbar and Sacral plexus are interconnected, they are sometimes referred to as the Lumbosacral plexus. The nerves that serve the chest are the only ones that do not originate from a plexus.