Glossopharyngeal

Glossopharyngeal is a term that refers to the glossopharyngeal nerve, which is the ninth cranial nerve that originates from the brainstem. This nerve has several functions, including providing sensory information from the throat, tonsils, and the back part of the tongue, as well as contributing to the sense of taste and the secretion of saliva.

Anatomy

The glossopharyngeal nerve originates from the medulla oblongata, a part of the brainstem. It exits the skull through the jugular foramen, a large opening at the base of the skull, along with the vagus nerve and the accessory nerve. The glossopharyngeal nerve then travels down the neck and into the throat.

Functions

The glossopharyngeal nerve has several functions, including:

• Sensory: It provides sensory information from the throat, tonsils, and the back part of the tongue. This includes the sensation of touch, temperature, and pain.
• Taste: It contributes to the sense of taste by carrying taste sensations from the back part of the tongue.
• Secretomotor: It stimulates the secretion of saliva by the parotid gland, one of the major salivary glands.

Clinical significance

Damage to the glossopharyngeal nerve can result in a variety of symptoms, including loss of taste in the back part of the tongue, difficulty swallowing, and loss of the gag reflex. This can be caused by a number of conditions, such as neuralgia, tumors, and infections.

See also

• Cranial nerves
• Jugular foramen
• Parotid gland

References

Glossopharyngeal Resources
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