This medical anatomical diagram illustrates the autonomic innervation of the human heart, detailing both the parasympathetic and sympathetic pathways. The parasympathetic pathway is represented by a purple line originating from the medulla oblongata within the brainstem; these preganglionic fibers travel via the vagus nerve to synapse at the cardiac fat pads (ganglionated plexi) located on the epicardial surface. The sympathetic pathway is depicted in green, showing the circuit from the spinal cord to the paravertebral ganglia. From these ganglia, postganglionic sympathetic fibers project to the base of the heart and distribute into the myocardium. Key anatomical structures labeled include the medulla oblongata, cardiac fat pads, spinal cord, and paravertebral ganglia. The diagram serves as an educational tool for understanding the neural regulation of cardiac performance, specifically the origin and trajectory of autonomic fibers that modulate heart rate and contractility.

This medical illustration depicts the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) pathways connecting the brainstem to the heart. A sagittal section of the human brain shows the medulla oblongata as the origin for both parasympathetic and sympathetic innervation. The Vagus nerve (parasympathetic), color-coded in purple, is shown descending from the brainstem to the heart, where it branches to innervate the atria and ventricles; text annotations indicate its role in decreasing heart rate. The sympathetic cardiac nerves, color-coded in red, originate from the same region and follow a parallel descending path, branching across the cardiac tissue; text labels specify their role in increasing both heart rate and the force of contraction. The diagram illustrates the functional antagonism between the two branches of the ANS in cardiac regulation, highlighting the primary innervation sites at the sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node, and the myocardium.

This medical anatomical diagram illustrates the autonomic nerve supply to the human pelvic viscera, specifically demonstrating the 'concentrated type' of innervation pattern. The illustration depicts a lateral view of the pelvic cavity with the rectum (1) and urinary bladder (2) as primary targets of innervation. Key structures include the sacral sympathetic trunk (3), shown as prominent vertical dark cords, and the nervi erigentes (4) or pelvic splanchnic nerves arising from the sacral plexus. The inferior hypogastric plexus (5) is shown as a network of nerves and ganglia (red highlights) distributing to the bladder and rectum. This concentrated variation is characterized by a simplified neural architecture: fewer, larger ganglia and less frequent, weaker connections between the sympathetic trunk and the visceral plexuses compared to the segmental type. The diagram is intended for neuroanatomical education, highlighting variations in pelvic autonomic pathways relevant to surgical considerations in proctology and urology.

This medical illustration depicts the centers of cardiac neurotransmission, highlighting the bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and the heart. The diagram includes a sagittal section of the human brain focusing on the brainstem (a), which contains autonomic centers. Below, cross-sections of the spinal cord (b) are shown. The heart is illustrated with its major vessels, where intrinsic ganglionated plexi (e) are located within basal fat deposits (f). Nerve pathways are represented by colored lines: green lines (c) signify the vagus nerves connecting the brainstem directly to the heart, while blue lines (d) show pathways projecting from the brainstem through the spinal cord to the sympathetic chain ganglia and finally to the cardiac tissue. These pathways facilitate both efferent (motor) and afferent (sensory) signals, regulating cardiac function, vasculature, and the specialized conduction system. This illustration is an educational tool for understanding neuro-cardiac physiology and the pathophysiology of conditions such as Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT).