Branch of glossopharyngeal nerve to carotid sinus
| Branch of glossopharyngeal nerve to carotid sinus | |
|---|---|
 Hypoglossal nerve, cervical plexus and their branches (nerve not labeled, but region is visible) | |
| Details | |
| From | Glossopharyngeal nerve |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | Ramus sinus carotici nervi glossopharyngei |
| TA | A14.2.01.146 |
| FMA | 53488 |
The branch of glossopharyngeal nerve to the carotid sinus (Hering's nerve) is a small nerve in the neck, that innervates the carotid sinus and the carotid body. It is a branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve that runs downwards, anterior to the internal carotid artery. It communicates with the vagus nerve and sympathetic trunk and then divides in the angle of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery to innervate the carotid body and carotid sinus. It carries impulses from the baroreceptors in the carotid sinus to the vasomotor center in the brainstem (to help maintain a more consistent blood pressure) and from chemoreceptors in the carotid body (mainly monitoring blood glucose levels). Hering's nerve responds to both increases and decreases in blood pressure while the baroreceptors in the aortic arch respond only to increases in blood pressure.
See also
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
External links
- cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (IX)
- Cranial Nerves at Yale 9-13
