Deep petrosal nerve

Deep petrosal nerve
Alveolar branches of superior maxillary nerve and sphenopalatine ganglion. (Deep petrosal labeled at bottom, center-right.)
Details
From	internal carotid plexus
To	nerve of pterygoid canal
Latin	nervus petrosus profundus
Dorlands /Elsevier	n_05/12566487
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy []

The deep petrosal nerve (large deep petrosal nerve) is given off from the internal carotid plexus, and runs through the carotid canal lateral to the internal carotid artery.

It then enters the cartilaginous substance which fills the foramen lacerum, and joins with the greater superficial petrosal nerve to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal, also known as the Vidian nerve.

It carries postsynaptic sympathetic nerve fibers to the pterygopalatine ganglion, also known as the sphenopalatine ganglion.

These fibers innervate blood vessels and mucous glands of the head and neck.

Sympathetic connections of the sphenopalatine and superior cervical ganglia.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)