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|Nerve: Auriculotemporal nerve|
|Sympathetic connections of the otic and superior cervical ganglia. (Auriculotemporal labeled at top right.)|
|Distribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion.|
|Gray's||subject #200 895|
The auriculotemporal nerve is a branch of the mandibular nerve that runs with the superficial temporal artery and vein, and provides sensory innervation to various regions on the side of the head.
The auriculotemporal nerve arises as two roots from the posterior division of the mandibular nerve. These roots encircle the middle meningeal artery ( a branch of the pterygoid part of the maxillary artery, which is in turn a terminal branch of the external carotid artery). The roots then converge to form a single nerve.
The auriculotemporal nerve passes medially to the neck of the mandible, gives off parotid branches and then turns superiorly, posterior to its head and anterior to the auricle. It then crosses over the root of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, deep to the superficial temporal artery
The somatosensory root (superior) originates from branches of the mandibular nerve, which pass through the otic ganglion without synapsing. Then they form the somatosensory (supoerior) root of the auriculotemporal nerve. The two roots re-unite and shortly after the branching of secretomotor fibers to the parotid gland (parotid branches) the auriculotemporal nerve comprises exclusively somatosensory fibers, which asencd up to the superficial temporal region. Supplies the auricle, external acoustic meatus, outer side of the tympanic membrane and the skin in the temporal region.
The parasympathetic root (inferior) carries postganglionic fibers to the parotid gland. These parasympathetic, pregangionic secretomotor fibers originate from the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) as one of its branches, the lesser petrosal nerve. This nerve synapses in the otic ganlgion and its postgangionic fibers from the inferior, parasympathetic root of the auriculotemporal nerve. The two roots re-unite and shortly after the "united" auriculotemporal branch gives off parotid branches, which serve as secretomotor fibers for the parotid gland.
This nerve as it courses posteriorly to the condylar head, is frequently injured in temporomandibular joint surgery, causing an ipsilateral parasthesia of the auricle and skin surrounding the ear.
- Superficial temporal artery
- SUNY Figs 27:03-04 - "Illustration of the nerves within the infratemporal fossa after removal of the lateral pterygoid muscle."
- MedEd at Loyola GrossAnatomy/h_n/cn/cn1/cnb3.htm
- Dictionary at eMedicine Auriculotemporal+nerve
- Norman/Georgetown lesson4 (mandibularnerve)
- Norman/Georgetown cranialnerves (V)
V: trigeminal: trigeminal ganglion
V1: ophthalmic: lacrimal - frontal (supratrochlear, supraorbital) - nasociliary (long root of ciliary, long ciliary, infratrochlear, posterior ethmoidal, anterior ethmoidal) - ciliary ganglion (short ciliary)
V2: maxillary: middle meningeal - in the pterygopalatine fossa (zygomatic, zygomaticotemporal, zygomaticofacial, sphenopalatine, posterior superior alveolar)
in the infraorbital canal/infraorbital nerve (middle superior alveolar, anterior superior alveolar)
on the face (inferior palpebral, external nasal, superior labial, infraorbital plexus) - pterygopalatine ganglion (deep petrosal, nerve of pterygoid canal)
branches of distribution (palatine, nasopalatine, pharyngeal)
V3: mandibular: nervus spinosus - medial pterygoid - anterior (masseteric, deep temporal, buccal, lateral pterygoid)
posterior (auriculotemporal, lingual, inferior alveolar, mylohyoid, mental) - otic ganglion - submandibular ganglion
VII: facial: nervus intermedius - geniculate - inside facial canal (greater petrosal, nerve to the stapedius, chorda tympani)
at exit from stylomastoid foramen (posterior auricular, digastric - stylohyoid)
on face (temporal, zygomatic, buccal, mandibular, cervical)
X: vagus: ganglia (jugular, nodose) - Alderman's nerve - in the neck (pharyngeal branch, superior laryngeal ext and int, recurrent laryngeal)
in the thorax (pulmonary branches, esophageal plexus) - in the abdomen (gastric plexuses, celiac plexus, gastric plexus)
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