The external nasal nerve is a terminal branch of the
anterior ethmoidal nerve
The anterior ethmoidal nerve is a nerve of the nose. It is a branch of the nasociliary nerve, itself a branch of the ophthalmic nerve (V1). It provides sensory innervation to some structures around the nasal cavity.
Structure
The anterior ethm ...
. The
trigeminal nerve
In neuroanatomy, the trigeminal nerve ( lit. ''triplet'' nerve), also known as the fifth cranial nerve, cranial nerve V, or simply CN V, is a cranial nerve responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as biting and chew ...
(CN V) branches into three nerves, one of which is the
ophthalmic nerve
The ophthalmic nerve (V1) is a sensory nerve of the face. It is one of three divisions of the trigeminal nerve (CN V). It has three branches that provide sensory innervation to the eye, the skin of the upper face, and the skin of the anterior sc ...
, which itself has three branches, one of which is the
nasociliary nerve
The nasociliary nerve is a branch of the ophthalmic nerve, itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V). It is intermediate in size between the other two branches of the ophthalmic nerve, the frontal nerve and lacrimal nerve.
Structure
The na ...
. One of the terminal branches of the nasociliary nerve is the anterior ethmoidal nerve. The anterior ethmoidal nerve divides into a lateral nasal branch and medial nasal branch.The medial nasal branch after giving off sensory branches to the anterior and upper parts of the nasal septum, emerges from beneath the inferior nasal margin to form the external nasal nerve. The external nasal nerve provides sensory innervation to the skin of the external nose to the tip.
Axon pathway
*
trigeminal nerve
In neuroanatomy, the trigeminal nerve ( lit. ''triplet'' nerve), also known as the fifth cranial nerve, cranial nerve V, or simply CN V, is a cranial nerve responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as biting and chew ...
*
ophthalmic nerve
The ophthalmic nerve (V1) is a sensory nerve of the face. It is one of three divisions of the trigeminal nerve (CN V). It has three branches that provide sensory innervation to the eye, the skin of the upper face, and the skin of the anterior sc ...
*
nasociliary nerve
The nasociliary nerve is a branch of the ophthalmic nerve, itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V). It is intermediate in size between the other two branches of the ophthalmic nerve, the frontal nerve and lacrimal nerve.
Structure
The na ...
*
anterior ethmoidal nerve
The anterior ethmoidal nerve is a nerve of the nose. It is a branch of the nasociliary nerve, itself a branch of the ophthalmic nerve (V1). It provides sensory innervation to some structures around the nasal cavity.
Structure
The anterior ethm ...
* medial nasal branch of anterior ethmoidal nerve
* external nasal nerve
References
Ophthalmic nerve
Nose
{{neuroanatomy-stub