The Visceromotor and Somatic Afferent Nerves of the Penis

There is a major change in the functional type of innervation between the proximal and distal parts of the intracavernosal sector of the penis. In addition to the pelvis and the hilum of the penis, the intrapenile neurovascular routes are the third level where the efferent autonomic (visceromotor) and the afferent somatic (sensory) penile nerve fibers are close. Intrapenile neurovascular pathways define a proximal penile segment, which guarantees erectile rigidity, and a sensory distal segment. Diallo D, Zaitouna M, Alsaid B, Quillard J, Ba N, Allodji RS, Benoit G, Bedretdinova D, and Bessede T. The visceromotor and somatic afferent nerves of the penis. J Sex Med 2015;12:1120-1127.