The nerve of the pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve) is formed by the junction of the

greater petrosal nerve The greater petrosal nerve (or greater superficial petrosal nerve) is a nerve in the skull that branches from the facial nerve; it forms part of a chain of nerves that innervate the lacrimal gland. The preganglionic parasympathetic axons of this ne ...

and

deep petrosal nerve The deep petrosal nerve is a branch of the internal carotid plexus which runs through the carotid canal lateral to the internal carotid artery. It enters the cartilaginous substance which fills the foramen lacerum, and joins with the greater petros ...

, which passes from the

foramen lacerum The foramen lacerum ( la, lacerated piercing) is a triangular hole in the base of skull. It is located between the sphenoid bone, the apex of the petrous part of the temporal bone, and the basilar part of the occipital bone. Structure The foram ...

to the pterygopalatine fossa through the

pterygoid canal The pterygoid canal (also vidian canal) is a passage in the sphenoid bone of the skull leading from just anterior to the foramen lacerum in the middle cranial fossa to the pterygopalatine fossa. Structure The pterygoid canal runs through the medi ...

Structure

The nerve of the pterygoid canal forms from the junction of the greater petrosal nerve and the deep petrosal nerve within the foreamen lacerum. This combined nerve exits the foramen lacerum and travels to the

pterygopalatine fossa In human anatomy, the pterygopalatine fossa (sphenopalatine fossa) is a fossa in the skull. A human skull contains two pterygopalatine fossae—one on the left side, and another on the right side. Each fossa is a cone-shaped paired depression deep ...

through the pterygoid canal in the sphenoid. The nerve of the pterygoid canal contains axons of both sympathetic and parasympathetic axons, specifically; *preganglonic parasympathetic axons from the

, a branch of the

facial nerve The facial nerve, also known as the seventh cranial nerve, cranial nerve VII, or simply CN VII, is a cranial nerve that emerges from the pons of the brainstem, controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of tas ...

(cell bodies are located in the

superior salivatory nucleus The salivatory nuclei are the superior salivatory nucleus, and the inferior salivatory nucleus that innervate the salivary glands. They are located in the pontine tegmentum in the brainstem. They both are examples of cranial nerve nuclei. The s ...

) *postganglionic sympathetic axons from the

, a branch of the

internal carotid plexus The internal carotid plexus is situated on the lateral side of the internal carotid artery, and in the plexus there occasionally exists a small gangliform swelling, the ''carotid ganglion'', on the under surface of the artery. Postganglionic symp ...

(cell bodies are located in the superior cervical ganglion)

Function

The preganglionic parasympathetic axons synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion, which contains the postganglionic neurons which provide secretomotor innervation to the lacrimal gland, as well as the nasal and palatine glands. The postganglionic sympathetic axons do not synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion, they travel on the branches of the maxillary nerve to provide sympathetic innervation to blood vessels.

Additional images

File:Gray779.png, Alveolar branches of superior maxillary nerve and pterygopalatine ganglion. File:Gray844.png, Diagram of the cervical sympathetic.

References

External links

* () ("NPC") {{Authority control Nerves of the head and neck Facial nerve

Structure

Function

Additional images

See also

References

External links