Lesser petrosal nerve
The lesser petrosal nerve is the general visceral efferent component of the glossopharyngeal nerve, carrying parasympathetic preganglionic fibers from the tympanic plexus to the parotid gland. It synapses in the otic ganglion, from where the postganglionic fibers emerge.Structure
After arising in the tympanic plexus, the lesser petrosal nerve passes forward and then through the hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve on the anterior surface of the petrous part of the temporal bone into the middle cranial fossa. It travels across the floor of the middle cranial fossa, then exits the skull via canaliculus innominatus to reach the infratemporal fossa. The fibres synapse in the otic ganglion, and post-ganglionic fibres then travel briefly with the auriculotemporal nerve before entering the body of the parotid gland.
The lesser petrosal nerve will distribute its parasympathetic post-ganglionic fibers to the parotid gland via the intraparotid plexus, the branches from the facial nerve in the parotid gland.
The nucleus of the lesser petrosal nerve is the inferior salivatory nucleus.
