Nerve: Otic ganglion
The otic ganglion and its branches.
Mandibular division of trifacial nerve, seen from the middle line. The small figure is an enlarged view of the otic ganglion.
Latin	ganglion oticum
Gray's	subject #200 897
Innervates	parotid gland
From	lesser petrosal nerve

The otic ganglion is a small, ovalshaped, flattened parasympathetic ganglion of a reddish-gray color, located immediately below the foramen ovale in the infratemporal fossa.

It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck. (The others are the submandibular ganglion, pterygopalatine ganglion, and ciliary ganglion).

It is occasionally absent.^[1]

Contents 1 Filaments 1.1 Branches of communication 1.2 Distribution 2 Additional images 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Filaments

Functionally, it gives off filaments:

• posteriorly on the lateral surface of the Eustachian tube to the tensor tympani
• anteriorly to the tensor veli palatini muscle
• inferiorly to mandibular nerve making its motor root
• to the auriculotemporal nerve,^[2] making up its sensory root.

[edit] Branches of communication

Its sympathetic postganglionic fibers consists of a filament from the plexus surrounding the middle meningeal artery.

Preganglionic parasympathetic fibres reach it from the glossopharyngeal nerve (and possibly also from the facial nerve) via the lesser petrosal nerve continued from the tympanic plexus. Postganglionic parasympathetic fibres from the ganglion pass with the sympathetic fibres mainly in the auriculotemporal nerve to supply the parotid gland.

A slender filament (sphenoidal) ascends from it to the nerve of the Pterygoid canal, and a small branch connects it with the chorda tympani.

It is connected by two or three short filaments with the nerve to the Pterygoideus internus, from which it may obtain a motor, and possibly a sensory root.

[edit] Distribution

Its branches of distribution are: a filament to the Tensor tympani, and one to the Tensor veli palatini.

The former passes backward, lateral to the auditory tube; the latter arises from the ganglion, near the origin of the nerve to the Pterygoideus internus, and is directed forward.

The fibers of these nerves are, however, mainly derived from the nerve to the Pterygoideus internus.

[edit] Additional images

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

Diagram of efferent sympathetic nervous system.

[edit] References

• Shimizu T (1994). "Distribution and pathway of the cerebrovascular nerve fibers from the otic ganglion in the rat: anterograde tracing study". J. Auton. Nerv. Syst. 49 (1): 47–54. doi:10.1016/0165-1838(94)90019-1. PMID 7525688. 

[edit] External links

• cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (V, IX)
• Otic+ganglion at eMedicine Dictionary

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

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

v • d • e The cranial nerves: trigeminal nerve ophthalmic (V1) frontal: supratrochlear · supraorbital (lateral branch, medial branch) nasociliary: long ciliary · infratrochlear · posterior ethmoidal · anterior ethmoidal (external nasal, internal nasal) · sensory root of ciliary ganglion (ciliary ganglion) lacrimal maxillary (V2) in meninges middle meningeal in pterygopalatine fossa zygomatic (zygomaticotemporal, zygomaticofacial) · pterygopalatine (pterygopalatine ganglion see below for details) · posterior superior alveolar in infraorbital canal infraorbital nerve: superior alveolar (middle, anterior) · internal nasal branches on face inferior palpebral · external nasal · superior labial (infraorbital plexus) mandibular (V3) in meninges meningeal anterior to muscles of mastication (medial pterygoid/to tensor veli palatini, lateral pterygoid, masseteric, deep temporal) · buccal posterior auriculotemporal (otic ganglion) · lingual (submandibular ganglion) · inferior alveolar (mylohyoid, mental)

v • d • e Nerves - autonomic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system/ganglion/trunks and parasympathetic nervous system/ganglion) (TA A14.3, GA 9.968) Head/ cranial Sympathetic Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Sympathetic) · Short ciliary Parasympathetic Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Parasympathetic) · Short ciliary Pterygopalatine ganglion: deep petrosal · nerve of pterygoid canal branches of distribution: greater palatine (inferior posterior nasal branches) · lesser palatine · nasopalatine (medial superior posterior nasal branches) · pharyngeal Submandibular ganglion Otic ganglion Neck/ cervical Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Cervical ganglia (Superior, Middle, Inferior) · Stellate ganglion prevertebral plexus: Cavernous plexus · Internal carotid Chest/ thorax Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Thoracic ganglia prevertebral plexus: Cardiac plexus · Esophageal plexus · Pulmonary plexus · Thoracic aortic plexus splanchnic nerves: cardiopulmonary · thoracic cardiac nerves: Superior · Middle · Inferior Abdomen/ Lumbar Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Lumbar ganglia prevertebral ganglia: Celiac ganglia (Aorticorenal) · Superior mesenteric ganglion · Inferior mesenteric ganglion prevertebral plexus: Celiac plexus · (Hepatic, Splenic, Pancreatic) · aorticorenal (Abdominal aortic plexus, Renal/Suprarenal) · Superior mesenteric (Gastric) · Inferior mesenteric (Spermatic, Ovarian) · Superior hypogastric (hypogastric nerve, Superior rectal) · Inferior hypogastric (Vesical, Prostatic/Cavernous nerves of penis, Uterovaginal, Middle rectal) splanchnic nerves: Lumbar splanchnic nerves Enteric Meissner's plexus · Auerbach's plexus Pelvis/ sacral Sympathetic paravertebral ganglia: Sacral ganglia · Ganglion impar splanchnic nerves: Sacral splanchnic nerves Parasympathetic splanchnic nerves: Pelvic splanchnic nerves