Medial pterygoid nerve
The medial pterygoid nerve (or internal pterygoid nerve) is a nerve of the head. It is a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3). It supplies the medial pterygoid muscle, the tensor veli palatini muscle, and the tensor tympani muscle.
Medial pterygoid nerve | |
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Details | |
From | Mandibular nerve |
Innervates | Medial pterygoid, tensor veli palatini, tensor tympani |
Identifiers | |
Latin | Nervus pterygoideus internus nervus pterygoideus medialis |
TA98 | A14.2.01.066 |
TA2 | 6250 |
FMA | 53056 |
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |
Structure
The medial pterygoid nerve is a slender branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3), itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V).[1][2] It is the first branch of the mandibular nerve.[3] It enters the deep surface of the medial pterygoid muscle. It passes through the otic ganglion without synapsing, so is neurologically distinct.[3] However, it provides physical support. The medial pterygoid nerve receives some motor fibres from the otic ganglion.[4]
Function
The medial pterygoid nerve supplies the medial pterygoid muscle.[1] It also supplies tensor veli palatini muscle,[1][4] through the nerve to tensor veli palatini, one of its branches. Of the five paired skeletal muscles to the soft palate, tensor veli palati muscle is the only muscle not innervated by the pharyngeal plexus. It also supplies the tensor tympani muscle in the middle ear.[3][4]
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 894 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- Tomo, S; Nakajima, K; Tomo, I; Nodai, E; Kobayashi, S (April 1995). "The morphology and innervation of the lateral pterygoid muscle of the dog". Journal of Anatomy. 186: 435–439. PMC 1167204. PMID 7649845.
- Rea, Paul (2014). "10 - Vagus Nerve". Clinical Anatomy of the Cranial Nerves. Academic Press. pp. 105–116. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-800898-0.00010-5. ISBN 978-0-12-800898-0.
- Netterville, James L.; Sullivan, Christopher A. (2010). "47 - Rehabilitation of Lower Cranial Nerve Deficits after Neurotologic Skull Base Surgery". Otologic Surgery (3rd ed.). Saunders. pp. 569–579. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4160-4665-3.00047-0. ISBN 978-1-4160-4665-3.
- Barral, Jean-Pierre; Croibier, Alain (2009). "17 - Mandibular nerve". Manual Therapy for the Cranial Nerves. Churchill Livingstone. pp. 139–146. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-3100-7.50020-3. ISBN 978-0-7020-3100-7.