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.

Structure

Origin

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

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

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

^ 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)
^ 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.