Pterygopalatine ganglion
Disclosures
- updated 30 Aug 2022:
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
The pterygopalatine ganglion (also known as the nasal ganglion, or sphenopalatine ganglion)is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck and largest of the peripheral parasympathetic ganglia. It receives parasympathetic fibres from the facial nerve.
Gross anatomy
ganglionlocated in the pterygopalatine fossa
anterior to opening of the pterygoid canal and foramen rotundum, adjacent to the sphenopalatine foramen
receives preganglionic parasympathetic neurones from the greater superficial petrosal nerve (from superior salivatory nucleus in the pons) 5
also receives ganglionic branches from the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve 5
it supplies parasympathetic fibres to the lacrimal gland and mucosal glands in the nose, nasopharynx, sinuses and soft palate
Roots
-
parasympathetic root
nerve of pterygoid canal from the nervus intermedius component of the facial nerve.
-
sympathetic root
superior cervical ganglion via the internal carotid nerve
nerve of the pterygoid canal
-
sensory root
trigeminal ganglion via the maxillary nerve
Branches
-<li>located in the <a href="/articles/pterygopalatine-fossa">pterygopalatine fossa</a>-</li>-<li>anterior to opening of the <a href="/articles/pterygoid-canal">pterygoid canal</a> and <a href="/articles/foramen-rotundum">foramen rotundum,</a> adjacent to the <a href="/articles/sphenopalatine-foramen">sphenopalatine foramen</a>-</li>-<li>receives preganglionic parasympathetic neurones from the <a href="/articles/greater-superficial-petrosal-nerve">greater superficial petrosal nerve</a> (from <a href="/articles/superior-salivary-nucleus">superior salivatory nucleus</a> in the <a href="/articles/pons">pons</a>) <sup>5</sup>-</li>-<li>also receives ganglionic branches from the maxillary branch of the <a href="/articles/trigeminal-nerve">trigeminal nerve</a> <sup>5</sup>-</li>-<li>it supplies parasympathetic fibres to the <a href="/articles/lacrimal-gland">lacrimal gland</a> and mucosal glands in the <a href="/articles/nose">nose</a>, <a href="/articles/nasopharynx">nasopharynx</a>, <a href="/articles/paranasal-sinuses">sinuses</a> and <a href="/articles/soft-palate">soft palate</a>-</li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/ganglion" title="Ganglion">ganglion</a> located in the <a href="/articles/pterygopalatine-fossa">pterygopalatine fossa</a></p></li>
- +<li><p>anterior to opening of the <a href="/articles/pterygoid-canal">pterygoid canal</a> and <a href="/articles/foramen-rotundum">foramen rotundum,</a> adjacent to the <a href="/articles/sphenopalatine-foramen">sphenopalatine foramen</a></p></li>
- +<li><p>receives preganglionic parasympathetic neurones from the <a href="/articles/greater-superficial-petrosal-nerve">greater superficial petrosal nerve</a> (from <a href="/articles/superior-salivary-nucleus">superior salivatory nucleus</a> in the <a href="/articles/pons">pons</a>) <sup>5</sup></p></li>
- +<li><p>also receives ganglionic branches from the maxillary branch of the <a href="/articles/trigeminal-nerve">trigeminal nerve</a> <sup>5</sup></p></li>
- +<li><p>it supplies parasympathetic fibres to the <a href="/articles/lacrimal-gland">lacrimal gland</a> and mucosal glands in the <a href="/articles/nose">nose</a>, <a href="/articles/nasopharynx">nasopharynx</a>, <a href="/articles/paranasal-sinuses">sinuses</a> and <a href="/articles/soft-palate">soft palate</a></p></li>
-<li>parasympathetic root<ul>-<a href="/articles/superior-salivary-nucleus">superior salivary nucleus</a> via the <a href="/articles/greater-petrosal-nerve">greater petrosal nerve</a>-</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/nerve-of-pterygoid-canal">nerve of pterygoid canal</a> from the <a href="/articles/nervus-intermedius">nervus intermedius</a> component of the <a href="/articles/facial-nerve">facial nerve</a>.</li>- +<p>parasympathetic root</p>
- +<ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/superior-salivary-nucleus">superior salivary nucleus</a> via the <a href="/articles/greater-petrosal-nerve">greater petrosal nerve</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/nerve-of-pterygoid-canal">nerve of pterygoid canal</a> from the <a href="/articles/nervus-intermedius">nervus intermedius</a> component of the <a href="/articles/facial-nerve">facial nerve</a>.</p></li>
-<a href="/articles/sympathetic-nervous-system-1">sympathetic</a> root<ul>-<li>-<a href="/articles/superior-cervical-ganglion">superior cervical ganglion</a> via the internal carotid nerve</li>-<li><a href="/articles/deep-petrosal-nerve">deep petrosal nerve</a></li>-<li>nerve of the pterygoid canal</li>- +<p><a href="/articles/sympathetic-nervous-system-1">sympathetic</a> root</p>
- +<ul>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/superior-cervical-ganglion">superior cervical ganglion</a> via the internal carotid nerve</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/deep-petrosal-nerve">deep petrosal nerve</a></p></li>
- +<li><p>nerve of the pterygoid canal</p></li>
-<li>sensory root<ul><li>-<a href="/articles/trigeminal-ganglion">trigeminal ganglion </a>via the <a href="/articles/maxillary-nerve">maxillary nerve</a>-</li></ul>- +<li>
- +<p>sensory root</p>
- +<ul><li><p><a href="/articles/trigeminal-ganglion">trigeminal ganglion </a>via the <a href="/articles/maxillary-nerve">maxillary nerve</a></p></li></ul>
-<li><a href="/articles/nasopalatine-nerve">nasopalatine nerve</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/posterior-superior-nasal-nerves">posterior superior nasal nerves</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/greater-palatine-nerve">greater palatine nerve</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/lesser-palatine-nerves">lesser palatine nerves</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/pharyngeal-nerve">pharyngeal nerve</a></li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/nasopalatine-nerve">nasopalatine nerve</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/posterior-superior-nasal-nerves">posterior superior nasal nerves</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/greater-palatine-nerve">greater palatine nerve</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/lesser-palatine-nerves">lesser palatine nerves</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/pharyngeal-nerve">pharyngeal nerve</a></p></li>
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