Medial pterygoid nerve

The medial pterygoid nerve (nerve to medial pterygoid,[1] or internal pterygoid nerve[citation needed]) is a nerve of the head. It is a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3). It supplies the medial pterygoid muscle, the tensor veli palatini muscle, and the tensor tympani muscle.

Medial pterygoid nerve
Mandibular division of the trigeminus nerve. (Internal pterygoid nerve visible but not labeled.)
Mandibular division of trifacial nerve, seen from the middle line. Nerve to medial pterygoid labeled at bottom.
Details
FromMandibular nerve
InnervatesMedial pterygoid, tensor veli palatini, tensor tympani
Identifiers
Latinnervus pterygoideus internus,
nervus pterygoideus medialis
TA98A14.2.01.066
TA26250
FMA53056
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

Structure

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Origin

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The medial pterygoid nerve is a slender branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) (itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V)).[1]

Course

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It passes through the otic ganglion (without synapsing).[2][better source needed] It penetrates the deep surface of the medial pterygoid muscle. It issues 1-2 twigs which traverse the otic ganglion (without synapsing) to reach and innervate the tensor tympani muscle, and tensor veli palatini muscle.[1]

Distribution

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The medial pterygoid nerve supplies the medial pterygoid muscle, tensor tympani muscle, and tensor veli palatini muscle (via the nerve to tensor veli palatini).[1]

The tensor veli palati muscle is the only of the five paired skeletal muscles to the soft palate not innervated by the pharyngeal plexus.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Standring, Susan (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42th ed.). New York. p. 680. ISBN 978-0-7020-7707-4. OCLC 1201341621.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Barral, Jean-Pierre; Croibier, Alain (2009). "17 - Mandibular nerve". Manual Therapy for the Cranial Nerves. Churchill Livingstone. pp. 139–146. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-3100-7.50020-3. ISBN 978-0-7020-3100-7.