Pterygopalatine ganglion
Encyclopedia
The pterygopalatine ganglion (Synonym: ganglion pterygopalatinum, meckel's ganglion, nasal ganglion, sphenopalatine ganglion) is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa
. It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck. (The others are the submandibular ganglion
, otic ganglion
, and ciliary ganglion
). The flow of blood to the nasal mucosa, in particular the venous plexus of the conchae, is regulated by the pterygopalatine ganglion and heats or cools the air in the nose
.
), the largest of the parasympathetic ganglia associated with the branches of the Maxillary Nerve, is deeply placed in the pterygopalatine fossa
, close to the sphenopalatine foramen
. It is triangular or heart-shaped, of a reddish-gray color, and is situated just below the maxillary nerve as it crosses the fossa.
The pterygopalatine ganglion supplies the lacrimal gland
, paranasal sinuses, glands of the mucosa of the nasal cavity
and pharynx
, the gingiva
, and the mucous membrane and gland
s of the hard palate
. It communicates anteriorly with the nasopalatine nerve
.
branches of the maxillary nerve; their fibers, for the most part, pass directly into the palatine nerves
; a few, however, enter the ganglion, constituting its sensory root.
(a part of the facial nerve
) through the greater petrosal nerve.
In the pterygopalatine ganglion, the preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the greater petrosal branch of the facial nerve synapse with neurons whose postganglionic axons, vasodilator, and secretory fibers are distributed with the deep branches of the trigeminal nerve
to the mucous membrane of the nose
, soft palate
, tonsils, uvula
, roof of the mouth, upper lip and gums, and upper part of the pharynx
. It also sends postganglionic parasympathetic fibers to the lacrimal nerve
(a branch of the Ophthalmic nerve
, also part of the trigeminal nerve) via the zygomatic nerve
, a branch of the maxillary nerve (from the trigeminal nerve), which then arrives at the lacrimal gland.
The nasal glands
are innervated with secretomotor from the nasopalatine and greater palatine nerve
. Likewise, the palatine glands
are innervated by the nasopalatine, greater palatine nerve
and lesser palatine nerves. The pharyngeal nerve
innervates pharyngeal glands. These are all branches of maxillary nerve.
. These fibers, from the superior cervical ganglion, travel through the carotid plexus
, and then through the deep petrosal nerve
. The deep petrosal nerve joins with the greater petrosal nerve to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal, which enters the ganglion.
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:...
. It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck. (The others are the submandibular ganglion
Submandibular ganglion
The submandibular ganglion is part of the human autonomic nervous system. It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck...
, 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....
, and ciliary ganglion
Ciliary ganglion
The ciliary ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion located in the posterior orbit. It measures 1–2 millimeters in diameter and contains approximately 2,500 neurons. Preganglionic axons from the Edinger-Westphal nucleus travel along the oculomotor nerve and form synapses with these cells...
). The flow of blood to the nasal mucosa, in particular the venous plexus of the conchae, is regulated by the pterygopalatine ganglion and heats or cools the air in the nose
Nose
Anatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for respiration in conjunction with the mouth. Behind the nose are the olfactory mucosa and the sinuses. Behind the nasal cavity, air next passes through the pharynx, shared with the...
.
Structure
The pterygopalatine ganglion (of MeckelJohann Friedrich Meckel, the Elder
Johann Friedrich Meckel the Elder was a German anatomist who was born in Wetzlar. He often has "the Elder" appended to his name to avoid confusion with his famous grandson Johann Friedrich Meckel , who was also an anatomist and often has "the Younger" included with his name...
), the largest of the parasympathetic ganglia associated with the branches of the Maxillary Nerve, is deeply placed in 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:...
, close to the sphenopalatine foramen
Sphenopalatine foramen
The sphenopalatine foramen is a foramen in the skull that connects the nasal cavity with the pterygopalatine fossa.-Structure:The processes of the superior border of the palatine bone are separated by the sphenopalatine notch, which is converted into the sphenopalatine foramen by the under surface...
. It is triangular or heart-shaped, of a reddish-gray color, and is situated just below the maxillary nerve as it crosses the fossa.
The pterygopalatine ganglion supplies the lacrimal gland
Lacrimal 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...
, paranasal sinuses, glands of the mucosa of the nasal cavity
Nasal cavity
The nasal cavity is a large air filled space above and behind the nose in the middle of the face.- Function :The nasal cavity conditions the air to be received by the other areas of the respiratory tract...
and pharynx
Pharynx
The human pharynx is the part of the throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and anterior to the esophagus and larynx. The human pharynx is conventionally divided into three sections: the nasopharynx , the oropharynx , and the laryngopharynx...
, the gingiva
Gingiva
The gingiva , or gums, consists of the mucosal tissue that lies over the mandible and maxilla inside the mouth.-General description:...
, and the mucous membrane and gland
Gland
A gland is an organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release of substances such as hormones or breast milk, often into the bloodstream or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface .- Types :...
s of the hard palate
Hard palate
The hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth. It spans the arch formed by the upper teeth.It is formed by the palatine process of the maxilla and horizontal plate of palatine bone....
. It communicates anteriorly with the nasopalatine nerve
Nasopalatine nerve
One branch of the posterior superior nasal branches , longer and larger than the others, is named the nasopalatine nerve ....
.
Sensory root
Its sensory root is derived from two sphenopalatineSphenopalatine
Sphenopalatine may refer to:* sphenopalatine artery, an artery of the head, commonly known as the artery of epistaxis* sphenopalatine ganglion * sphenopalatine nerves...
branches of the maxillary nerve; their fibers, for the most part, pass directly into the palatine nerves
Palatine nerves
The palatine nerves are distributed to the roof of the mouth, soft palate, tonsil, and lining membrane of the nasal cavity.Most of their fibers are derived from the sphenopalatine branches of the maxillary nerve....
; a few, however, enter the ganglion, constituting its sensory root.
Parasympathetic root
Its parasympathetic root is derived from the nervus intermediusNervus intermedius
The nervus intermedius, or intermediate nerve, is the part of the facial nerve located between the motor component of the facial nerve and the vestibulocochlear nerve . It contains the sensory and parasympathetic fibers of the facial nerve...
(a part of the facial nerve
Facial nerve
The 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...
) through the greater petrosal nerve.
In the pterygopalatine ganglion, the preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the greater petrosal branch of the facial nerve synapse with neurons whose postganglionic axons, vasodilator, and secretory fibers are distributed with the deep branches of the trigeminal nerve
Trigeminal nerve
The trigeminal nerve contains both sensory and motor fibres. It is responsible for sensation in the face and certain motor functions such as biting, chewing, and swallowing. Sensory information from the face and body is processed by parallel pathways in the central nervous system...
to the mucous membrane of the nose
Human nose
The visible part of the human nose is the protruding part of the face that bears the nostrils. The shape of the nose is determined by the ethmoid bone and the nasal septum, which consists mostly of cartilage and which separates the nostrils...
, soft palate
Soft palate
The soft palate is the soft tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is distinguished from the hard palate at the front of the mouth in that it does not contain bone....
, tonsils, uvula
Uvula
The palatine uvula, usually referred to as simply the uvula , is the conic projection from the posterior edge of the middle of the soft palate, composed of connective tissue containing a number of racemose glands, and some muscular fibers .-Function in language:The uvula plays a role in the...
, roof of the mouth, upper lip and gums, and upper part of the pharynx
Pharynx
The human pharynx is the part of the throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and anterior to the esophagus and larynx. The human pharynx is conventionally divided into three sections: the nasopharynx , the oropharynx , and the laryngopharynx...
. It also sends postganglionic parasympathetic fibers to the lacrimal nerve
Lacrimal nerve
The lacrimal nerve is the smallest of the three branches of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve.It sometimes receives a filament from the trochlear nerve, but this is possibly derived from the branch that goes from the ophthalmic to the trochlear nerve.It passes forward in a separate...
(a branch of the Ophthalmic nerve
Ophthalmic nerve
The ophthalmic nerve is one of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve. The ophthalmic nerve carries only sensory fibers.-Branches:*Nasociliary nerve**sensory root of ciliary ganglion**posterior ethmoidal nerve...
, also part of the trigeminal nerve) via the zygomatic nerve
Zygomatic nerve
The zygomatic nerve is a branch of the maxillary nerve that enters the orbit and helps to supply the skin over the zygomatic and temporal bones. The zygomatic nerve is not to be confused with the zygomatic branches of the facial nerve.-Structure:The zygomatic nerve arises in the pterygopalatine...
, a branch of the maxillary nerve (from the trigeminal nerve), which then arrives at the lacrimal gland.
The nasal glands
Nasal glands
The nasal glands are the seromucous glands in the respiratory region of the nasal mucous membrane. The three major types of nasal glands are anterior serous glands, seromucous glands, and Bowman glands.-Seromucous glands:...
are innervated with secretomotor from the nasopalatine and greater palatine nerve
Greater palatine nerve
The greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion that carries both general sensory and parasympathetic fibers...
. Likewise, the palatine glands
Palatine glands
The palatine glands form a continuous layer on the posterior surface of the mucous membrane of the soft palate and around the uvula.They are pure mucous glands....
are innervated by the nasopalatine, greater palatine nerve
Greater palatine nerve
The greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion that carries both general sensory and parasympathetic fibers...
and lesser palatine nerves. The pharyngeal nerve
Pharyngeal nerve
The pharyngeal nerve is a small branch arising from the posterior part of the pterygopalatine ganglion.It passes through the pharyngeal canal with the pharyngeal branch of the maxillary nerve, and is distributed to the mucous membrane of the nasal part of the pharynx, behind the auditory tube....
innervates pharyngeal glands. These are all branches of maxillary nerve.
Sympathetic root
The ganglion also consists of sympathetic efferent (postganglionic) fibers from the superior cervical ganglionSuperior cervical ganglion
The superior cervical ganglion , the largest of the cervical ganglia, is placed opposite the second and third cervical vertebræ. It contains neurons that supply sympathetic innervation to the face....
. These fibers, from the superior cervical ganglion, travel through the carotid plexus
Carotid plexus
Carotid plexus can refer to:* Common carotid plexus* Internal carotid plexus* External carotid plexus...
, and then through 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....
. The deep petrosal nerve joins with the greater petrosal nerve to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal, which enters the ganglion.
Branches
- Orbital branches? (See "Innervation" section of ethmoid sinusEthmoid sinusThe ethmoid sinus is each of the two paranasal sinuses within the ethmoid bone, comprising the ethmoidal air cells and filled with air. These are divided into anterior, middle and posterior group. The ethmoidal air cells consist of numerous thin-walled cavities situated in the ethmoidal labyrinth...
page.) - Nasopalatine nerveNasopalatine nerveOne branch of the posterior superior nasal branches , longer and larger than the others, is named the nasopalatine nerve ....
- Greater palatine nerveGreater palatine nerveThe greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion that carries both general sensory and parasympathetic fibers...
- Lesser palatine nerveLesser palatine nerveThe lesser palatine nerve descends through the pterygopalatine canal, and emerges by the lesser palatine foramen. It also has nasal branches that innervate the nasal cavity.It supplies the soft palate, tonsil, and uvula....
- Posterior superior nasal branch
- pharyngeal branch of maxillary nervePharyngeal nerveThe pharyngeal nerve is a small branch arising from the posterior part of the pterygopalatine ganglion.It passes through the pharyngeal canal with the pharyngeal branch of the maxillary nerve, and is distributed to the mucous membrane of the nasal part of the pharynx, behind the auditory tube....