The part of the autonomic nervous system that contains chiefly cholinergic fibers. tends to: induce secretion, increase the tone and contractility of smooth muscle, slow the heart rate, consists of: a cranial part made up of preganglionic fibers leaving and passing the midbrain by the oculomotor nerves and the hindbrain by the facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves and passing to the ciliary, sphenopalatine, submandibular, and otic ganglia of the head or to ganglionated plexuses of the thorax and abdomen and postganglionic fibers passing from these ganglia to end organs of the head and upper trunk. – A sacral part made up of preganglionic fibers emerging and passing in the sacral nerves and passing to ganglionated plexuses of the lower trunk and postganglionic fibers passing from these plexuses chiefly to the viscera of the lower abdomen and the external genital organs. – Called also: parasympathetic system, autonomic division of nervous system, parasympathetic part of autonomic division of peripheral nervous system.