The deep petrosal nerve is a branch of the internal carotid plexus 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, and joins with the greater petrosal nerve 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 ner ...

, 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 Blood vessels are the structures of the circulatory system that transport blood throughout the human body. These vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of the body. They also take waste and carbon dioxide away fro ...

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-ce ...

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 The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) is part of the autonomic nervous system (ANS); more specifically, it is part of the sympathetic nervous system, a division of the ANS most commonly associated with the fight or flight response. The ANS is co ...

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