Inferior salivatory nucleus

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Brain: Inferior salivatory nucleus

The inferior salivatory nucleus is one of the components of the glossopharyngeal nerve, which stimulates secretion from the parotid gland.
Latin	nucleus salivatorius inferior
NeuroNames	hier-761
Dorlands/Elsevier	n_11/12583286

In the brain, the inferior salivatory nucleus is a cluster of neurons controlling the parasympathetic input to the parotid gland. It is one of the components of the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX).

Location

Its precise location in humans has not yet been identified, but in other mammals it is located in the medulla within the general visceral efferent cell column, superior to the nucleus ambiguus and inferior to the superior salivatory nucleus.

Pathway

While still in the medulla, fibers of the inferior salivatory nucleus join with fibers of the gustatory nucleus, nucleus ambiguus, and spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, and exit the medulla as the mixed glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX). It sends fibers through the glossopharyngeal nerve's tympanic nerve and into the tympanic plexus. Exiting the plexus within the lesser petrosal nerve, these preganglionic fibers synapse with cells in the otic ganglion, which send postganglionic fibers into the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve, then into the auriculotemporal nerve, finally reaching their target, the parotid gland.

Function

Parasympathetic input from fibers of the inferior salivatory nucleus stimulates the parotid gland to vasodilate and secrete saliva.

Additional images

The cranial nerve nuclei schematically represented; dorsal view. Motor nuclei in red; sensory in blue.
Nuclei of origin of cranial motor nerves schematically represented; lateral view.
Primary terminal nuclei of the afferent (sensory) cranial nerves schematically represented; lateral view.

References

Kiernan, John A. (2005). Barr's The Human Nervous System: An Anatomical Viewpoint. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 150. ISBN 0-7817-5154-3.

External links

v • d • e Brain: rhombencephalon (hindbrain)
Myelencephalon/medulla	anterior/ventral: Arcuate nucleus of medulla • Pyramid (Decussation) • Olivary body • Inferior olivary nucleus • Anterior median fissure • Ventral respiratory group posterior/dorsal: VII,IX,X: Solitary/tract • XII, X: Dorsal • IX,X,XI: Ambiguus • IX: Inferior salivatory nucleus • Gracile nucleus/Cuneate nucleus/Accessory cuneate nucleus • Area postrema • Posterior median sulcus • Dorsal respiratory group raphe/reticular: Sensory decussation • Reticular formation (Gigantocellular nucleus, Parvocellular reticular nucleus, Ventral reticular nucleus, Lateral reticular nucleus, Paramedian reticular nucleus) • Raphe nuclei (Obscurus, Magnus, Pallidus) tracts: Corticospinal tract (Lateral, Anterior) • Inferior cerebellar peduncle • Olivocerebellar tract • Spinocerebellar (Dorsal, Ventral) • Spinothalamic tract • PCML (Posterior external arcuate fibers, Internal arcuate fibers, Medial lemniscus) • Extrapyramidal (Rubrospinal tract, Vestibulospinal tract, Tectospinal tract)
Metencephalon/pons	anterior/ventral: Superior olivary nucleus • Basis pontis (Pontine nuclei, Middle cerebellar peduncles) posterior/dorsal: Pontine tegmentum (Trapezoid body, Superior medullary velum, Locus ceruleus, MLF, Vestibulocerebellar tract, V Principal Spinal & Motor, VI, VII, VII: Superior salivary nucleus) • VIII-c (Dorsal, Anterior)/VIII-v (Lateral, Superior, Medial, Inferior) raphe/reticular: Reticular formation (Caudal pontine reticular nucleus, Oral pontine reticular nucleus, Tegmental pontine reticular nucleus, Paramedian pontine reticular formation) • Median raphe nucleus Apneustic center • Pneumotaxic center
Metencephalon/cerebellum	Vermis • Flocculus • Arbor vitae • Cerebellar tonsil • Inferior medullary velum Molecular layer (Stellate cell, Basket cell, Parallel fiber) • Purkinje cell layer (Purkinje cell) • Granule cell layer (Golgi cell) • Mossy fibers • Climbing fiber Deep cerebellar nuclei (Dentate, Emboliform, Globose, Fastigial)
Fourth ventricle	apertures (Median, Lateral) • Rhomboid fossa (Vagal trigone, Hypoglossal trigone, Obex, Sulcus limitans, Facial colliculus, Medial eminence) • Lateral recess