Glossopharyngeal nerve (distal branches) (English)

After exiting the jugular foramen, the glossopharyngeal nerve gives off the tympanic nerve which joins the tympanic plexus, in providing general sensory innervation to the mucosa of the middle ear, auditory tube, and mastoid air cells. The tympanic plexus gives rise to the lesser petrosal nerve, which carries the parasympathetic component of the glossopharyngeal nerve and supplies it to the otic ganglion to innervate the parotid gland via the auriculotemporal nerve (branch of CN V3). CN IX then descends into the anterior triangle of the neck, where it gives rise to several branches.The stylopharyngeal branch provides somatic motor innervation to the stylopharyngeus muscle. The carotid branch carries general visceral afferent fibers from the carotid sinus and carotid body. Pharyngeal and tonsillar branches provide general sensory supply to the mucosa of the pharynx and the palatine tonsil region, respectively. The lingual branch provides general sensory supply to the root of the tongue and special visceral afferent (taste) innervation to the posterior one-third of the tongue. Finally, the glossopharyngeal nerve gives off communicating branches that form connections with the sympathetic trunk, vagus (CN X) and facial nerves (CN VII).