The deep petrosal nerve is a branch of the

internal carotid plexus The internal carotid plexus is situated on the lateral side of the internal carotid artery, and in the plexus there occasionally exists a small gangliform swelling, the ''carotid ganglion'', on the under surface of the artery. Postganglionic symp ...

which runs through the

carotid canal The carotid canal is a passageway in the temporal bone of the skull through which the internal carotid artery enters the middle cranial fossa from the neck. Structure The carotid canal is located within the middle cranial fossa, at the petrou ...

lateral to the internal carotid artery. It enters the cartilaginous substance which fills the

foramen lacerum The foramen lacerum ( la, lacerated piercing) is a triangular hole in the base of skull. It is located between the sphenoid bone, the apex of the petrous part of the temporal bone, and the basilar part of the occipital bone. Structure The foram ...

, and joins with the

greater petrosal nerve The greater petrosal nerve (or greater superficial petrosal nerve) is a nerve in the skull that branches from the facial nerve; it forms part of a chain of nerves that innervate the lacrimal gland. The preganglionic parasympathetic axons of this ne ...

to form the

nerve of the pterygoid canal The nerve of the pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve) is formed by the junction of the greater petrosal nerve and deep petrosal nerve, which passes from the foramen lacerum to the pterygopalatine fossa through the pterygoid canal. Structure The nerve ...

, also known as the Vidian nerve. The deep petrosal nerve carries postganglionic sympathetic axons to the

pterygopalatine ganglion The pterygopalatine ganglion (aka Meckel's ganglion, nasal ganglion, or sphenopalatine ganglion) is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa. It is largely innervated by the greater petrosal nerve (a branch of the facial n ...

, which pass through without synapsing. These axons innervate blood vessels and

mucous glands Mucous gland, also known as muciparous glands, are found in several different parts of the body, and they typically stain lighter than serous glands during standard histological preparation. Most are multicellular, but goblet cells are single- ...

of the head and neck. The neuron cell bodies of the axons which form the deep petrosal nerve are found in the superior cervical ganglion.

Additional images

File:Gray841.png, Sympathetic connections of the pterygopalatine and superior cervical ganglia.

References

External links

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Table at doctor_uae
Nerves {{neuroanatomy-stub