Salivatory nuclei

Plan of the facial and intermediate nerves and their communication with other nerves. (Nucleus salivatorius visible at upper left.)

Details
Identifiers
Latin| nucleī salivatorii
NeuroNames| 590
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

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The salivatory nuclei are two parasympathetic general visceral efferent cranial nerve nuclei[citation needed] \- the superior salivatory nucleus and the inferior salivatory nucleus \- that innervate the salivary glands. Both are located in the pontine tegmentum of the brainstem.[1]

The superior salivatory nucleus is a nucleus of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII). It innervates the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands (as well as a number of other glands of the head). Its fibres synapse at the pterygopalatine ganglion, and submandibular ganglion.

The inferior salivatory nucleus is a nucleus of the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX). It innervates the parotid gland. Its fibres synapse at the otic ganglion.

## Superior salivatory nucleus

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The superior salivatory nucleus (or nucleus salivatorius superior) is a visceral motor cranial nerve nucleus of the facial nerve (CN VII). It is located in the pontine tegmentum.[citation needed] It projects pre-ganglionic visceral motor parasympathetic efferents (via CN VII) to the pterygopalatine ganglion, and submandibular ganglion.[2]

The term "lacrimal nucleus" is sometimes used to refer to a portion of the superior salivatory nucleus.[3]

### Efferents

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Preganglionic fibers en route to the pterygopalatine ganglion (destined to ultimately innervate the lacrimal gland and the mucosal glands of the nose, palate, and pharynx) subsequently form the greater petrosal nerve, whereas those en route to the submandibular ganglion (destined to ultimately innervate the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands) subsequently form the chorda tympani.[citation needed]

### Afferents

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The nucleus receives cortical stimuli from the nucleus of solitary tract via the dorsal longitudinal fasciculus and reflex connections.[2]

## Inferior salivatory nucleus

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The inferior salivatory nucleus (or nucleus salivatorius inferior) is a cluster of neurons in the medulla. It is the general visceral efferent (GVE) component of the glossopharyngeal nerve supplying the parasympathetic input to the parotid gland for salivation.

It lies immediately caudal to the superior salivatory nucleus and just above the upper end of the dorsal nucleus of the vagus nerve in the medulla.

The preganglionic parasympathetic fibres originate in the inferior salivatory nucleus of the glossopharyngeal nerve. They leave the glossopharyngeal nerve by its tympanic branch and then pass via the tympanic plexus and the lesser petrosal nerve to the otic ganglion. Here, the fibres synapse, and the postganglionic fibers pass by communicating branches to the auriculotemporal nerve, which conveys them to the parotid gland. They produce vasodilator and secretomotor effects.

### Function

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

## Additional images

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* 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.

## References

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This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1. ^ Gray, Henry (1918). Lewis, Warren H. (ed.). Gray's Anatomy (pdf) (20th ed.). Philadelphia PA: Lea & Febiger. ISBN 1-58734-102-6. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
2. ^ a b Waxman, Stephen G. (2009). Clinical Neuroanatomy (26th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. p. 111\. ISBN 978-0-07-160399-7.
3. ^ ancil-329 at NeuroNames

## Bibliography

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

## External links

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*   * Diagram (look for #3)
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*   * https://web.archive.org/web/20060907231522/http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/cns/histo/systems/cranialnerves/main.htm

* v
* t
* e

Anatomy of the pons

Dorsal/
(tegmentum)|

| Surface|

* Cerebellopontine angle
* Superior medullary velum
* Sulcus limitans
* Medial eminence
* Facial colliculus

|

White: Sensory|

* Trapezoid body
* Trigeminal lemniscus
* Dorsal trigeminal tract
* Ventral trigeminal tract
* Medial lemniscus
* Lateral lemniscus
* Central tegmental tract
* Medial longitudinal fasciculus
* Vestibulo-oculomotor fibers

White: Motor|

* Inferior cerebellar peduncle
* Vestibulocerebellar tract
* Medial longitudinal fasciculus
* Vestibulospinal tract
* Medial vestibulospinal tract
* Lateral vestibulospinal tract

Grey: Cranial nuclei|

| afferent:|

* GSA
* Trigeminal
* Principal
* Spinal
* Cochlear nucleus
* Dorsal
* Anterior
* Vestibular nuclei
* Superior

|

efferent:|

* SVE: Trigeminal motor nucleus
* Facial motor nucleus
* GSE: Abducens nucleus
* GVE: Superior salivary nucleus
* Inferior salivary nucleus

Grey: Other nuclei|

* Pedunculopontine nucleus
* Apneustic center
* Pneumotaxic center
* Parabrachial nuclei
* Subparabrachial nucleus
* Medial parabrachial nucleus
* Lateral parabrachial nucleus
* Superior olivary nucleus
* Locus coeruleus

Ventral/
(base)|

| Grey|

* Pontine nuclei

|

White: Motor/descending|

* Corticospinal tract
* Corticobulbar tract
* Corticopontine fibers
* MCP
* Pontocerebellar fibers

Surface|

* Basilar sulcus

Other grey: Raphe/
reticular|

* Reticular formation
* Caudal
* Oral
* Tegmental
* Paramedian
* Raphe nuclei
* Median

* v
* t
* e

The cranial nerves

Terminal (CN 0)|

* Nuclei
* septal nuclei
* Course
* no significant branches

Olfactory (CN I)|

* Nuclei
* anterior olfactory nucleus
* Course
* olfactory bulb
* olfactory tract

Optic (CN II)|

* Nuclei
* lateral geniculate nucleus
* Course
* optic chiasm
* optic tract

Oculomotor (CN III)|

* Nuclei
* oculomotor nucleus
* Edinger–Westphal nucleus
* Branches
* superior
* parasympathetic root of ciliary ganglion
* inferior

Trochlear (CN IV)|

* Nucleus
* Branches
* no significant branches

Trigeminal (CN V)|

* Nuclei
* PSN
* spinal trigeminal nucleus
* MN
* TMN
* Course
* trigeminal ganglion
* Branches
* ophthalmic
* maxillary
* mandibular

Abducens (CN VI)|

* Nucleus
* Branches
* no significant branches

Facial (CN VII)|

| Near origin|

* Intermediate nerve
* Geniculate

|

Inside
facial canal|

* Greater petrosal
* pterygopalatine ganglion
* Nerve to the stapedius
* Chorda tympani
* lingual nerve
* submandibular ganglion

At stylomastoid
foramen|

* Posterior auricular
* Suprahyoid
* digastric
* stylohyoid
* Parotid plexus
* temporal
* zygomatic
* buccal
* mandibular
* cervical

Nuclei|

* Facial motor nucleus
* Solitary nucleus
* Superior salivary nucleus

Vestibulocochlear (CN VIII)|

* Nuclei
* vestibular nuclei
* cochlear nuclei
* Cochlear nerve
* striae medullares
* lateral lemniscus
* Vestibular
* Scarpa's ganglion

Glossopharyngeal (CN IX)|

| Before jugular fossa|

* Ganglia
* superior
* inferior

|

After jugular fossa|

* Tympanic
* tympanic plexus
* lesser petrosal
* otic ganglion
* Stylopharyngeal branch
* Pharyngeal branches
* Tonsillar branches
* Lingual branches
* Carotid sinus

Nuclei|

* Nucleus ambiguus
* Inferior salivatory nucleus
* Solitary nucleus

Vagus (CN X)|

| Before jugular fossa|

* Ganglia
* superior
* inferior

|

After jugular fossa|

* Meningeal branch
* Auricular branch

Neck|

* Pharyngeal branch
* pharyngeal plexus
* Superior laryngeal
* external
* internal
* Recurrent laryngeal
* Superior cervical cardiac

Thorax|

* Inferior cardiac
* Pulmonary
* Vagal trunks
* anterior
* posterior

Abdomen|

* Celiac
* Renal
* Hepatic
* Anterior gastric
* Posterior gastric

Nuclei|

* Nucleus ambiguus
* Dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve
* Solitary nucleus

Accessory (CN XI)|

* Nuclei
* nucleus ambiguus
* spinal accessory nucleus
* Cranial
* Spinal

Hypoglossal (CN XII)|

* Nucleus
* Branches
* lingual

* v
* t
* e

Anatomy of the medulla

Grey matter|

| Cranial nuclei|

| afferent:|

* Solitary nucleus
* tract
* Dorsal respiratory group
* Gustatory nucleus
* Vestibular nuclei
* Lateral
* Medial
* Inferior

|

efferent:|

* Hypoglossal nucleus
* Nucleus ambiguus
* Dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve
* Inferior salivatory nucleus

Dorsal|

* Gracile nucleus
* Cuneate nucleus
* Accessory cuneate nucleus

Ventral|

*     * Ventral respiratory group
* Arcuate nucleus of medulla
* Rostral ventromedial medulla
* Botzinger complex
* Pre-Bötzinger complex

White matter|

| Dorsal|

* Sensory
* Sensory decussation
* Medial lemniscus
* Juxtarestiform body
* Ascending dorsal longitudinal fasciculus
* Medial longitudinal fasciculus
* Motor
* Descending dorsal longitudinal fasciculus
* Medial longitudinal fasciculus

|

Ventral|

* Descending tracts
* Olivocerebellar tract
* Rubro-olivary tract

Surface|

| Front|

* Pyramid
* Anterior median fissure
* Anterolateral sulcus
* Olive
* Inferior olivary nucleus

|

Back|

* Posterior median sulcus
* Posterolateral sulcus
* Area postrema
* Vagal trigone
* Hypoglossal trigone
* Medial eminence
* Inferior cerebellar peduncle

Grey|

* Reticular formation
* Gigantocellular
* Parvocellular
* Ventral
* Lateral
* Paramedian
* Raphe nuclei
* Obscurus
* Magnus
* Pallidus
* Perihypoglossal nuclei

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* Anatomy

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