The visceral nervous system innervates which tissues?

The visceral nervous system innervates which tissues?

• A. Innervates the skin and most skeletal muscles
• B. Innervates autonomic ganglia
• C. Innervates the organs of the body (viscera) and the smooth muscle
• D. Innervates the enteric nervous system

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the visceral (autonomic) nervous system targets tissues that operate below conscious control: the internal organs and the smooth muscle surrounding them. It regulates functions like digestion, glandular secretion, blood vessel tone, and visceral motility by directing signals to the viscera and smooth muscle. The skin and most skeletal muscles are controlled by the somatic nervous system, not the visceral one. Autonomic ganglia are relay points where signals pass from preganglionic to postganglionic neurons, and the enteric nervous system is a distinct network within the gut that can function independently but still interacts with autonomic input. So the tissues innervated by the visceral nervous system are the organs (viscera) and smooth muscle.

The key idea is that the visceral (autonomic) nervous system targets tissues that operate below conscious control: the internal organs and the smooth muscle surrounding them. It regulates functions like digestion, glandular secretion, blood vessel tone, and visceral motility by directing signals to the viscera and smooth muscle. The skin and most skeletal muscles are controlled by the somatic nervous system, not the visceral one. Autonomic ganglia are relay points where signals pass from preganglionic to postganglionic neurons, and the enteric nervous system is a distinct network within the gut that can function independently but still interacts with autonomic input. So the tissues innervated by the visceral nervous system are the organs (viscera) and smooth muscle.