Final answer:
Sympathetic preganglionic neurons arise from all thoracic spinal cord segments and L1 and L2, known as the thoracolumbar region, which is part of the sympathetic nervous system responsible for 'fight or flight' responses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sympathetic preganglionic neurons originate from the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord, specifically from all of the thoracic spinal cord segments, and L1 and L2 (option b). These neurons arise out of the lateral horn of the spinal cord and project to ganglia adjacent to the vertebral column, either in the sympathetic chain ganglia or collateral ganglia. This part of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the 'fight or flight' response, which includes actions such as accelerating the heart rate and redistributing blood flow to muscles, which is not to be confused with slowing of the heartbeat, as this is not a sympathetic response but rather a parasympathetic one.