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Henry Gray (1825–1861). Anatomy of the Human Body. 1918.

pages 908

  In passing through the jugular foramen, the nerve presents two ganglia, the superior and the petrous (Fig. 791).
  The Superior Ganglion (ganglion superius; jugular ganglion) is situated in the upper part of the groove in which the nerve is lodged during its passage through the jugular foramen. It is very small, and is usually regarded as a detached portion of the petrous ganglion.
  The Petrous Ganglion (ganglion petrosum; inferior ganglion) is larger than the superior and is situated in a depression in the lower border of the petrous portion of the temporal bone.


FIG. 792– Upper part of medulla spinalis and hind- and mid-brains; posterior aspect, exposed in situ. (See enlarged image)

Branches of Communication.—The glossopharyngeal nerve communicates with the vagus, sympathetic, and facial.
  The branches to the vagus are two filaments which arise from the petrous ganglion, one passing to the auricular branch, and the other to the jugular ganglion, of the vagus. The petrous ganglion is connected by a filament with the superior cervical ganglion of the sympathetic. The branch of communication with the facial perforates the posterior belly of the Digastricus. It arises from the trunk of the glossopharyngeal below the petrous ganglion, and joins the facial just after the exit of that nerve from the stylomastoid foramen.

Branches of Distribution.—The branches of distribution of the glossopharyngeal are: the tympanic, carotid, pharyngeal, muscular, tonsillar, and lingual.