Nerve of pterygoid canal
Encyclopedia
The nerve of the pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve) is formed by the junction of the great petrosal nerve
and the deep petrosal nerve
within the pterygoid canal
containing the cartilaginous substance which fills the foramen lacerum
.
with its corresponding artery (artery of the pterygoid canal
) and is joined by a small ascending sphenoidal branch from the otic ganglion
. It then enters the pterygopalatine fossa
and joins the posterior angle of the pterygopalatine ganglion
.
through various nerves leaving the pterygopalatine fossa
.
Great petrosal nerve
The greater petrosal nerve is a nerve in the skull that branches from the facial nerve; it forms part of a chain of nerves that innervates the lacrimal gland...
and the deep petrosal nerve
Deep petrosal nerve
The deep petrosal nerve is given off from the carotid plexus, and runs through the carotid canal lateral to the internal carotid artery....
within the pterygoid canal
Pterygoid canal
The pterygoid canal is a passage in the skull leading from just anterior to the foramen lacerum in the middle cranial fossa to the pterygopalatine fossa.-Structure:...
containing the cartilaginous substance which fills the foramen lacerum
Foramen lacerum
The foramen lacerum is a triangular hole in the base of the skull located at the base of the medial pterygoid plate.-Transit through the foramen lacerum:...
.
Course
It passes forward through the pterygoid canalPterygoid canal
The pterygoid canal is a passage in the skull leading from just anterior to the foramen lacerum in the middle cranial fossa to the pterygopalatine fossa.-Structure:...
with its corresponding artery (artery of the pterygoid canal
Artery of the pterygoid canal
The artery of the pterygoid canal is an artery that can arise from the internal carotid or external carotid , or serve as an anastomosis between these arteries.It more commonly arises from the ECA....
) and is joined by a small ascending sphenoidal branch from the otic ganglion
Otic ganglion
The otic ganglion is a small, oval shaped, flattened parasympathetic ganglion of a reddish-gray color, located immediately below the foramen ovale in the infratemporal fossa. It gives innervation to the parotid gland for salivation....
. It then enters the pterygopalatine fossa
Pterygopalatine fossa
The pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull. It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen.-Boundaries:It has the following boundaries:...
and joins the posterior angle of the pterygopalatine ganglion
Pterygopalatine ganglion
The pterygopalatine ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa. It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck....
.
Contents
- Parasympathetic preganglionic fibersPreganglionic fibersIn the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the CNS to the ganglion are known as preganglionic fibers.All preganglionic fibers, whether they are in the sympathetic division or in the parasympathetic division, are cholinergic .Sympathetic preganglionic fibers tend to be shorter than parasympathetic...
from the facial nerveFacial nerveThe facial nerve is the seventh of twelve paired cranial nerves. It emerges from the brainstem between the pons and the medulla, and controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and oral cavity...
(contained within the greater petrosal nerve) which synapse in pterygopalatine ganglionPterygopalatine ganglionThe pterygopalatine ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa. It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck.... - SympatheticSympathetic nervous systemThe sympathetic nervous system is one of the three parts of the autonomic nervous system, along with the enteric and parasympathetic systems. Its general action is to mobilize the body's nervous system fight-or-flight response...
postganglionic fibersPostganglionic fibersIn the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the ganglion to the effector organ are called postganglionic fibers.-Neurotransmitters:The neurotransmitters used for postganglionic fibers differ:...
from the deep petrosal nerveDeep petrosal nerveThe deep petrosal nerve is given off from the carotid plexus, and runs through the carotid canal lateral to the internal carotid artery....
which do not synapse in pterygopalatine ganglion.
Innervation
The postganglionic parasympathetic fibers of the greater petrosal nerve, upon synapsing in the pterygopalatine ganglion, will distribute to the nose, palate, and lacrimal glandLacrimal gland
The lacrimal glands are paired almond-shaped glands, one for each eye, that secrete the aqueous layer of the tear film. They are situated in the upper, outer portion of each orbit, in the lacrimal fossa of the orbit formed by the frontal bone. Inflammation of the lacrimal glands is called...
through various nerves leaving the pterygopalatine fossa
Pterygopalatine fossa
The pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull. It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen.-Boundaries:It has the following boundaries:...
.
Additional images
The vidian nerve does not fill the foramen lacerum. The deep and great petrosal nerves join together to form the vidian nerve, which passes over the foramen lacerum. It is commonly stated that nothing passes through the foramen lacerum, but a more detailed look shows that emissary veins enter here.-
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- Correction*** Deep Petrosal nerve does not have parasympathetic fibers. It comes from the Superior Sympathetic Cervical Ganglion off of the Sympathetic trunk. At this point, all sympathetic fibers are considered SYMPATHETIC-POSTGANGLIONIC (SYM-POST).
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