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
*Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy* [edit on Wikidata]

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.

Additional images

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

frontal	supratrochlear supraorbital lateral branch medial branch

nasociliary	long ciliary infratrochlear posterior ethmoidal anterior ethmoidal external nasal internal nasal sensory root of ciliary ganglion ciliary ganglion

other	lacrimal

infraorbital nerve:	superior alveolar anterior middle posterior internal nasal branches

in meninges	meningeal

anterior	to muscles of mastication medial pterygoid/to tensor veli palatini lateral pterygoid masseteric deep temporal buccal

posterior	auriculotemporal otic ganglion lingual submandibular ganglion inferior alveolar mylohyoid mental

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