multiganglionic

Multiganglionic is an adjective used in anatomy and neurobiology to describe a structure or neural circuit that involves multiple ganglia. It is typically applied to the autonomic nervous system and the enteric nervous system, where many small ganglia are distributed within tissues.

Definition and scope: The term highlights the presence of more than one ganglion in a given pathway or region, distinguishing it from uniganglionic arrangements where a single ganglion mediates transmission to the target tissue. In some contexts, multiganglionic describes networks in which neurons form connections across several ganglia, enabling broader or more distributed control.

Anatomy context: In the sympathetic division, preganglionic fibers enter the sympathetic trunk and contribute to a series of paravertebral ganglia along the spine. Branching and collateral connections can allow signaling to affect multiple ganglia and downstream targets, contributing to a multiganglionic effect. In the enteric nervous system, the myenteric (Auerbach) and submucosal (Meissner) plexuses contain numerous ganglia distributed along the gastrointestinal tract, representing a highly multiganglionic organization capable of complex, localized regulation of motility and secretion.

Development and terminology: Multiganglionic describes topology rather than a discrete anatomical entity. The term arises from the way neural crest-derived ganglion cells populate multiple sites and is used descriptively in histology and comparative anatomy.

Clinical relevance: As a descriptor, multiganglionic organization can be relevant in discussions of autonomic neuropathies, Hirschsprung disease, or surgical planning involving extensive autonomic innervation, though it is not a disease name by itself.

See also: Autonomic ganglia; Enteric nervous system; Sympathetic trunk; Parasympathetic ganglia.