Anatomy

1. Glossopharyngeal
nerve
Domina Petric, MD

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IX. cranial nerve has 5
functional pieces:
• Special visceral afferent fibres for
sensation of taste from posterior third
of the tongue.
• General visceral afferent fibres for
general visceral sensation from
posterior third of the tongue,
pharyngeal isthmus, tonsils,
nasopharynx, tympanic cavity and
carotid sinus.

3. IX. cranial nerve has 5
functional pieces:
• General somatic afferent fibres for
sensation from external ear.
• Special visceral efferent fibres for
innervation of stylopharyngeus muscle.
• General visceral efferent
parasympathetic fibres for innervation
of parotid gland.
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4. Nuclei
• nucleus ambiguus (special visceral
efferent fibres)
• nucleus salivatorius inferior (general
visceral efferent fibres)
• nucleus solitarius (general and special
visceral afferent fibres)
• nucleus spinalis n. trigemini (general
somatic afferent fibres)
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5. Foramen jugulare
Foramen jugulare
Inside
• Ganglion superior is inside the jugular foramen: bodies of general somatic
afferent neurons of IX. cranial nerve.
Foramen
jugulare
Foramen jugulare
Below
• Ganglion inferior is just below the jugular foramen: bodies of general and special
visceral afferent neurons of IX. cranial nerve.
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7. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
N. tympanicus forms plexus tympanicus:
• tympanic cavity mucosa
• mastoid air cells
• auditory tube mucosa (r. tubarius)
• ganglion tympanicum
• communication fibres from facial nerve
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nn. caroticotympanici

8. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
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9. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
R. communicans
cum ramo
auriculare n. vagi:
communication
branch for vagal
nerve.
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10. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
R. sinus carotici transfers general visceral
afferent fibres from chemoreceptors in carotid
body and baroreceptors from carotid sinus.
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11. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
• Rr. pharyngei are motoric, sensory and
parasympathetic fibres that come from
nucleus ambiguus and nucleus
salivatorius inferior, and go as afferent
fibres into nucleus solitarius.
• Pharyngeal branches together with
sympathetic fibres and vagal nerve form
plexus pharyngeus that innervates
pharyngeal muscles, mucosa and glands.
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12. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
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13. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
Rr. tonsillares are
sensory branches
that transfer the
sensation from
tonsils and soft
palate into the
nucleus solitarius.
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14. Branches of IX. cranial nerve
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15. Literature:
• TeachMeAnatomy.com
• Anatomymcqs.com
• Krmpotić-Nemanić J. Marušić A.
Anatomija čovjeka, Medicinska
naklada, Zagreb, 2007.
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