Parasympathetic Nervous System Diagram

All 14 parts on the diagram

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Cranial part: the head and the vagus 9

Brainstem Its nuclei hold the first neurons of this chart's four cranial nerves.
Oculomotor nerve (III) Through that ganglion it controls the size of the pupil.
Facial nerve (VII) Its fibers reach the lacrimal gland through one ganglion. Through the other they reach the salivary glands under the jaw and tongue.
Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) Through that ganglion it supplies the parotid gland.
Vagus nerve (X) It has no ganglion in the head. Its fibers end in terminal ganglia on the heart, lungs, stomach and intestines.
Ciliary ganglion Fibers of the oculomotor nerve end here. Short fibers go on to the muscles that narrow the pupil and focus the lens.
Pterygopalatine ganglion Fibers of the facial nerve end here. Fibers from it go on to the lacrimal gland and the glands of the nose.
Submandibular ganglion Fibers of the facial nerve end here. Fibers from it go on to the submandibular and sublingual glands.
Otic ganglion Fibers of the glossopharyngeal nerve end here. Fibers from it go on to the parotid gland.

Sacral part and the two fibers 5

Terminal ganglia Called intramural ganglia when they lie inside the wall of the organ.
Sacral spinal cord Its parasympathetic fibers leave with sacral nerves 2, 3 and 4.
Pelvic splanchnic nerves They serve the bladder and the last part of the intestines.
Preganglionic fiber In this division it is the long one. That is because the ganglion lies on or in the organ.
Postganglionic fiber In this division it is the short one.

How this list was compiled: Every name and detail checked on 2026-09-30 against OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, section 15.1 Divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System (the craniosacral system: brain stem nuclei and the sacral spinal cord, the oculomotor, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves, the ciliary ganglion, terminal and intramural ganglia, long preganglionic and short postganglionic fibers), https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/15-1-divisions-of-the-autonomic-nervous-system, and against Wikipedia, Parasympathetic nervous system, Parasympathetic ganglia and Pelvic splanchnic nerves, text only. The names OpenStax does not print (pterygopalatine, submandibular and otic ganglia, pelvic splanchnic nerves) were confirmed in Wikipedia and in TeachMeAnatomy, Parasympathetic Innervation to the Head and Neck, https://teachmeanatomy.info/head/nerves/parasympathetic/, and The Rectum, https://teachmeanatomy.info/abdomen/gi-tract/rectum/. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site on 2026-09-30. Own original chart; nothing traced or copied. Licence: own work

How it works

The parasympathetic division leaves the central nervous system in two places: the brainstem and the sacral spinal cord. Three charts follow its fibers to the head, to the chest and abdomen, and through one pathway enlarged.

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Three charts, from the head down

Numbers 1 to 9 are on the head chart: the brainstem, the four cranial nerves that carry parasympathetic fibers, and the four ganglia where the first three end. The vagus nerve leaves downward. Numbers 10 to 12 are on the second chart: the terminal ganglia on the organs, the sacral spinal cord and the pelvic splanchnic nerves. Numbers 13 and 14 are the two fibers of one pathway.

Cranial nerves III, VII, IX and X carry parasympathetic fibers. The vagus nerve, X, is the one that leaves the head.
Here the preganglionic fiber is long and the postganglionic fiber short, because the ganglia lie on or in the organs.

Questions and answers

Which cranial nerves carry parasympathetic fibers?

Four: the oculomotor nerve (III), the facial nerve (VII), the glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) and the vagus nerve (X). The first three end in ganglia in the head; the vagus goes on to the organs of the chest and abdomen.

What are the four parasympathetic ganglia of the head?

The ciliary ganglion (oculomotor nerve, to the eye), the pterygopalatine ganglion (facial nerve, to the lacrimal gland), the submandibular ganglion (facial nerve, to the salivary glands under the jaw and tongue) and the otic ganglion (glossopharyngeal nerve, to the parotid gland).

Why is the parasympathetic division called craniosacral?

Because its first neurons lie in two places: nuclei of the brainstem, whose fibers leave in cranial nerves, and the sacral spinal cord, whose fibers leave with sacral nerves 2 to 4 as the pelvic splanchnic nerves.

What are terminal ganglia?

The ganglia of the parasympathetic division that lie near or inside the organ they serve. Those inside the wall of an organ are also called intramural ganglia. A short postganglionic fiber runs from them to the target tissue.