Inferior ganglion of vagus nerve

Inferior ganglion of vagus nerve
Plan of upper portions of glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves ("Gang. nodosum" visible at center)
Details
From	vagus nerve
Identifiers
Latin	Ganglion nodosum, ganglion inferius nervi vagi
MeSH	D009620
TA	A14.2.01.157
FMA	6230
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy []

The inferior ganglion of vagus nerve, or nodose ganglion (ganglion nodosum; ) is cylindrical in form, of a reddish color, and 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in length. It is located in the height of the transverse process of the first cervical vertebra (atlas).

Passing through it is the cranial portion of the accessory nerve, which blends with the vagus nerve below the ganglion to supply it with motor fibres to the pharynx, larynx, and palate.

The inferior ganglion is larger than the superior ganglion.

It is chiefly visceral afferent in function concerning sensation of heart, larynx, lungs and alimentary tract from the pharynx to the transverse colon. These visceral afferents synapse centrally in the solitary nucleus.

Both ganglia are traversed by parasympathetic, and perhaps some sympathetic fibres.

Preganglionic motor fibres (ganglionic branches) from the dorsal vagal nucleus and the special visceral efferents from the nucleus ambiguus, which descend to the inferior ganglion of vagus nerve, form a band skirting the ganglion.

Plan of hypoglossal nerve.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 911 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)