What does the lesser petrosal nerve innervate?

The secretomotor axons of the glossopharyngeal nerve originate in preganglionic neurons located in the salivatory nucleus in the upper medulla and lower pons. These axons follow the tympanic and lesser petrosal nerves and innervate the otic ganglion, located just medial to the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve.

What are the structures and functions of the greater petrosal nerve?

The greater petrosal nerve or superficial petrosal nerve is a branch of the nervus intermedius (nerve of Wrisberg) that carries parasympathetic, taste, and sensory fibers of the facial cranial nerve (CN VII).

Where does the greater petrosal nerve synapse?

The greater superficial petrosal nerve is a branch of the facial nerve that exits the temporal bone and passes near Meckel’s cave before joining the deep petrosal nerve to form the vidian nerve and continuing into the PPF.

What is external petrosal nerve?

The external petrosal nerve is one of the three branches from the geniculate ganglion. It carries sympathetic fibers from the sympathetic plexus surrounding the middle meningeal artery, coursing extradurally laterally to the greater and lesser petrosal nerves on the petrous ridge’s anterior surface 3.

Is deep petrosal nerve parasympathetic?

The vidian nerve is formed by the confluence of the greater superficial petrosal and deep petrosal nerves and travels in the pterygoid canal carrying the parasympathetic fibers, which synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion, and the postganglionic fibers are distributed with the branches of the maxillary nerve.

What nerve Innervates lacrimal glands?

the ophthalmic nerve
Sensory innervation of the lacrimal gland is via the lacrimal nerve, a branch of the ophthalmic nerve.

How many Petrosal nerves are there?

Six petrosal nerves have been described: exter- nal, deep, small deep, smallest deep, greater, and lesser. One of these is a branch of the facial nerve, one is a branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve, and four are derived from sympathetic fibers.

What does the Vidian nerve innervate?

The postganglionic fibers form the petrosal nerve, which joins the greater superficial nerve to form the vidian nerve. The vidian nerve therefore contains both the parasympathetic and the sympathetic innervation to the nasal mucosa.

What does hypoglossal nerve innervate?

The hypoglossal nerve is mainly a somatic efferent (motor) nerve to innervate the tongue musculature. The nerve also contains some sympathetic postganglionic fibers from the cervical ganglia, which innervates tongue vessels and some small glands in the oral mucosa.

Is the deep petrosal nerve sympathetic?

The deep petrosal nerve transmits post-ganglionic sympathetic fibers from the internal carotid plexus to the Vidian nerve on its way to the pterygopalatine ganglion.