Nerve Supply – Large Intestine

00:00 If we look at the nerve supply again, then the nerve supply of this region again is a little bit complicated because it forms this transition between the superior mesenteric plexus and the inferior mesenteric plexus.

00:15 And these supply different regions of the large intestine. Now we will really concentrate on this when we move on the lecture 20 at the end of the course which really focuses on the autonomic nervous system. But for now we can appreciate that for the large intestine, the parasympathetic input is going to increase activity. It's going to increase the activity just like the parasympathetic input increase the activity of the other GI organs. And the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system is going to decrease the activity.

00:50 And here we can see it's been carried out by the whole number of the plexuses, the superior and the inferior mesenteric plexuses.

01:00 The main parasympathetic input is via the pelvic splanchnic nerves. This is primarily for this kind of distal portion of the large intestine. There are still some vagal input into the more proximal regions of the large intestine. But like I said, we will explore this in more detail in a later lecture.