CN IX Glossopharyngeal Nerve

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Path of the upper portions of the CN IX Glossopharyngeal, CN X Vagus, and CN XI Accessory¹

Upper part of medulla spinalis, hindbrain, and midbrain (posterior view)¹

Path of CN IX glossopharyngeal, CN X Vagus, CN XI Accessory¹

Figure 1: Hypoglossal nerve, cervical plexus, and their respective branches¹

Functions

Touch & Pain

1. (Mucosa of Posterior Tongue, Tonsil, Middle ear, Nasopharynx, Oropharynx, Carotid Sinus & Body)
2. Superior Glossopharyngeal ganglion
3. Spinal Trigeminal Tract
4. Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus
5. Medial lemniscus (Touch) and Spinal lemniscus (Pain)
6. Sensory cortex

Dysfunction

Syndromes involving CN9-12 (CN IX-XII) from Table 13-1²

Syndrome (Eponym)	Nerves Affected	Location of Lesion
Collet-Sicard	CN IX, X, XI, XII2	Retroparotid space usually Lesion may be intracranial or extracranial2
Villaret	CN IX, X, XI, XII Plus the sympathetic chain CN VII is occassionally involved2	Retroparotid or retropharyngeal space2
Garcin (hemibase syndrome)	All Cranial Nerves on one side (often incomplete)2	Often infiltrative; Arising from base of skull (especially nasopharyngeal carcinoma)2

References

1.

Gray H. Anatomy of the Human Body. 20th ed. (Lewis WH, ed.). Lea & Febiger; 1918. https://www.bartleby.com/107/

2.

Brazis PW, Masdeu JC, Biller J. Localization in Clinical Neurology. 8th ed. Wolters Kluwer Health; 2022.