Greater petrosal nerve
The greater petrosal nerve (or greater superficial petrosal nerve) is a nerve of the head mainly containing pre-ganglionic parasympathetic fibres: 370 which ultimately synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion. It branches from the facial nerve (CN VII) and is derived from the parasympathetic part of the nervus intermedius component of CN VII, with its cell bodies located in the superior salivary nucleus. In the connective tissue substance of the foramen lacerum, the greater petrosal nerve unites with the (sympathetic) deep petrosal nerve to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal (vidian nerve) which proceeds to the pterygopalatine ganglion.
| Greater petrosal nerve | |
|---|---|
Alveolar branches of superior maxillary nerve and sphenopalatine ganglion. | |
Plan of the facial and intermediate nerves and their communication with other nerves. | |
| Details | |
| From | facial nerve |
| To | nerve of pterygoid canal |
| Innervates | parasympathetics to lacrimal glands |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nervus petrosus major |
| TA98 | A14.2.01.117 |
| TA2 | 6289 |
| FMA | 53417 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
It forms part of a chain of nerves that provide secretomotor innervation to the lacrimal gland and mucosal glands of nasal cavity and palate.