Clinical and Physiological Features of the Sympathetic Innervation of Arms and Hands

Abstract

Anatomical and physiological features of sympathetic innervation provide a basis for developing methods to treat sympathetic dysfunction. Preganglionic neurons (PNs) that project to the upper limbs are in the spinal segments T₂–T₉ (mainly at the level of the T₂–T₆ segments); the respective postganglionic neurons are in the sympathetic trunk from the ganglion stellatum to the ganglion T₆. Sympathetic control is provided by the coordination of adrenergic and cholinergic receptors, mediators, co-transmitters, and the involvement in complex interconnections with other regulatory systems.