Nerve: Geniculate ganglion
The course and connections of the facial nerve in the temporal bone.
Cranial nerves VII and VIII and selected structures of the inner and middle ear. 1 Nervus vestibularis, 2 Nervus cochlearis, 3 Nervus intermediofacialis, 4 Ganglion geniculi, 5 Chorda tympani, 6 Cochlea, 7 Ductus semicirculares, 8 Malleus, 9 Membrana tympani, 10 Tuba auditiva
Latin	ganglion geniculi nervi facialis
Gray's	subject #202 902

The geniculate ganglion (from Latin genu, for "knee"^[1]) is an L-shaped collection of fibers and sensory neurons of the facial nerve located in the facial canal of the head. It receives fibers from the motor, sensory, and parasympathetic components of the facial nerve and sends fibers that will innervate the lacrimal glands, submandibular glands, sublingual glands, tongue, palate, pharynx, external auditory meatus, stapedius, posterior belly of the digastric muscle, stylohyoid muscle, and muscles of facial expression.

Sensory and parasympathetic inputs are carried into the geniculate ganglion via the nervus intermedius. Motor fibers are carried via the facial nerve proper. The greater petrosal nerve, which carries sensory fibers as well as preganglionic parasympathetic fibers, emerges from the anterior aspect of the ganglion.

The geniculate ganglion is one of several ganglia of the head and neck. Like the others, it is a bilaterally distributed structure, with each side of the face having a geniculate ganglion.

[edit] Additional images

Plan of the facial and intermediate nerves and their communication with other nerves.

[edit] References

1. ^ "genu-, geni-, gen- + (Latin: knee).". WordInfo. http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/897. Retrieved 2008-10-03. 

[edit] External links

• Geniculate+ganglion at eMedicine Dictionary
• cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (VII)
• lesson3 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (midearcavity)

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v • d • e Nerves of head and neck: the cranial nerves and nuclei (TA A14.2.01, GA 9.855) olfactory (AON->I) olfactory bulb · olfactory tract optic (LGN->II) optic chiasm · optic tract oculomotor (ON, EWN->III) superior branch (parasympathetic root of ciliary ganglion/ciliary ganglion) · inferior branch trochlear (TN->IV) no significant branches trigeminal (PSN,TSN,MN,TMN->V) trigeminal ganglion • ophthalmic • maxillary • mandibular abducens (AN->VI) no significant branches facial (FMN,SN,SSN->VII) near origin nervus intermedius • geniculate inside facial canal greater petrosal (pterygopalatine ganglion) · nerve to the stapedius · chorda tympani (lingual nerve, submandibular ganglion) at stylomastoid foramen posterior auricular · suprahyoid (digastric, stylohyoid) · parotid plexus (temporal, zygomatic, buccal, mandibular, cervical) vestibulocochlear (VN, CN->VIII) cochlear (striae medullares, lateral lemniscus) • vestibular (Scarpa's ganglion) glossopharyngeal (NA, ISN, SN->IX) before jugular fossa ganglia (superior, inferior) after jugular fossa tympanic (tympanic plexus, lesser petrosal, otic ganglion) • stylopharyngeal branch • pharyngeal branches • tonsillar branches • lingual branches • carotid sinus vagus (NA, DNVN, SN->X) before jugular fossa ganglia (superior, inferior) after jugular fossa meningeal branch · auricular branch neck pharyngeal branch (pharyngeal plexus) · superior laryngeal (external, internal) · recurrent laryngeal (inferior) · superior cervical cardiac thorax inferior cardiac · pulmonary · vagal trunks (anterior, posterior) abdomen celiac · renal · hepatic · anterior gastric · posterior gastric accessory (NA,SAN->XI) cranial · spinal hypoglossal (HN->XII) lingual branches