Prevertebral ganglia

Prevertebral ganglia (or collateral ganglia, or preaortic ganglia ) are sympathetic ganglia which lie between the sympathetic chain and the organ of supply.

Function
They are composed of postganglionic sympathetic principal neurons that supply abdominal and pelvic viscera. Unlike paravertebral ganglia that are composed almost exclusively of relay neurons receiving nervous information arising only from preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord, prevertebral ganglia contain a majority of integrating neurons that receive nervous information arising from preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord and intestinofugal neurons of the myenteric plexus in the gastrointestinal tract. The targets of these integrating neurons are mainly neurons of the enteric nervous system.

Examples
These include

1. the celiac ganglia (which can include the aorticorenal ganglion),

2. superior mesenteric ganglia, and

3. inferior mesenteric ganglia.