The inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve (also known as the nodose ganglion) is one of the two sensory

ganglia A ganglion (: ganglia) is a group of neuron cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system. In the somatic nervous system, this includes dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglia among a few others. In the autonomic nervous system, there a ...

of each vagus nerve (cranial nerve X). It contains neuron cell bodies of

general visceral afferent fibers The general visceral afferent (GVA) fibers conduct sensory impulses (usually pain or reflex sensations) from the internal organs, glands, and blood vessels to the central nervous system. They are considered to be part of the visceral nervous sy ...

and

special visceral afferent fibers Special visceral afferent fibers (SVA) are afferent fibers that develop in association with the gastrointestinal tract. They carry the special sense of taste (gustation). The cranial nerves containing SVA fibers are the facial nerve (VII), the gloss ...

. It is situated within the jugular fossa just below the skull. It is situated just below the superior ganglion of vagus nerve.

Anatomy

The inferior ganglion of vagus nerve is elongated. It is larger than the superior ganglion of vagus nerve. It is situated within the jugular fossa, just inferior to the

jugular foramen A jugular foramen is one of the two (left and right) large foramina (openings) in the base of the skull, located behind the carotid canal. It is formed by the temporal bone and the occipital bone. It allows many structures to pass, including the ...

Structure

The inferior ganglion contains the neuron cell bodies of all sensory fibres of the CN X except those of the

auricular branch of vagus nerve The auricular branch of the vagus nerve is often termed the Alderman's nerve ("a reference to the old Aldermen of the City of London and their practice of using rosewater bowls at ceremonial banquets, where attendees were encouraged to place a na ...

. The neurons in the inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve are pseudounipolar and provide sensory innervation (

general somatic afferent The general somatic afferent fibers (GSA or somatic sensory fibers) are afferent fibers that arise from neurons in sensory ganglia and are found in all the spinal nerves, except occasionally the first cervical. General somatic afferents conduct i ...

and general visceral afferent). The

axon An axon (from Greek ἄξων ''áxōn'', axis) or nerve fiber (or nerve fibre: see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, spelling differences) is a long, slender cellular extensions, projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, ...

s of the neurons which innervate the taste buds of the epiglottis synapse in the rostral portion of the

solitary nucleus The solitary nucleus (SN) (nucleus of the solitary tract, nucleus solitarius, or nucleus tractus solitarii) is a series of neurons whose cell bodies form a roughly vertical column of grey matter in the medulla oblongata of the brainstem. Their a ...

( gustatory nucleus). The axons of the neurons which provide general sensory information synapse in the

spinal trigeminal nucleus The spinal trigeminal nucleus is a nucleus in the medulla that receives information about deep/crude touch, pain, and temperature from the ipsilateral face. In addition to the trigeminal nerve (CN V), the facial (CN VII), glossopharyngeal (CN ...

. The axons of the neurons which innervate the aortic bodies, aortic arch, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, synapse in the caudal part of the solitary nucleus.

Distribution

The neurons in the inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve innervate the taste buds on the epiglottis, the chemoreceptors of the

aortic bodies The aortic bodies are one of several small clusters of peripheral chemoreceptors located along the aortic arch. They are important in measuring partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, and blood pH. Structure The aortic b ...

and baroreceptors in the

aortic arch The aortic arch, arch of the aorta, or transverse aortic arch () is the part of the aorta between the ascending and descending aorta. The arch travels backward, so that it ultimately runs to the left of the trachea. Structure The aorta begins ...

. Most importantly, the majority of neurons in the inferior ganglion provide sensory innervation to the

heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...

respiratory The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies gr ...

and

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the Digestion, digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascula ...

s and other abdominal organs such as the urinary bladder.

Development

The neurons in the inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve are embryonically derived from epibranchial

neurogenic placodes In embryology, a neurogenic placode is an area of thickening of the epithelium in the embryonic head ectoderm layer that gives rise to neurons and other structures of the sensory nervous system. Placodes are embryonic structures that give rise t ...

Clinical Significance

References

{{Portal bar, Anatomy Sensory ganglia