Pterygopalatine ganglion

The pterygopalatinum ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion. It is located in the pterygopalatine fossa, caudal to the nervus mandibularis and laterally to the foramen sphenopalatinum, here it is connected to the nn. pterygopalatini. It has a flat triangular or heart shape and is reddish-gray in color. It contains about 50,000 parasympathetic neurons (it is therefore the largest parasympathetic ganglion in the head region).

The petrosus major nerve enters it from behind as a parasympathetic radix, the fibers of the radix sympathetica come via the petrosus profundus nerve from Budge's ciliospinal center, as the radix sensitiva fibers leave the ganglion via the maxillaris nerve. From the ganglion emerge '''rr. nasales posteriores superiores, rr. nasales posteriores inferiores, n. palatinus major and nn. palatinii minores, yr. tonsillares, rr. orbitales and n. pharyngeus'''. Interpolation takes place here - switching to the second neuron of the parasympathetic pathway (part of the path of parasympathetic innervation of the lacrimal gland).