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Submandibular ganglion described under the following headings:
- Location
- Roots/connections
- Branches and structures supplied[/expand]
Submandibular Ganglion
- It is a Parasympathetic ganglion
- It is a relay station for secretomotor fibers supplying submandibular and sublingual glands.
- It is topographically connected to lingual nerve (branch of trigeminal N)
- It is functionally related to chorda tympani (branch of facial nerve)
Location
It is located in the submandibular region on the superficial surface of hyoglossus muscle. It is suspended from the lingual nerve by two roots (anterior and posterior).
Roots/connections of Submandibular Ganglion
It has three Roots
- Parasympathetic: is derived from facial nerve (chorda tympani)
- Sympathetic: is from T1 spinal segment
- Sensory: is from lingual nerve
Parasympathetic (Secretomotor) fibers: Preganglionic fibers originate from superior salivatory nucleus in pons. they pass successively through the facial nerve and a branch of facial nerve viz. chorda tympani. Chorda tymapani joins lingual nerve and the fibers relay/synapse in submandibular ganglion. Postganglionic fibers arise from the ganglion and supply the submandibular gland.
Sympathetic (mainly vasomotor) fibers: Preganglionic fibers originate from the lateral horn of T1 spinal segment, relay in superior cervical sympathetic ganglion and the postganglionic fibers form plexus around facial artery and supply submandibular gland.
Sensory fibers arise from the lingual branch of mandibular nerve.
Branches
- Branches to submandibular gland: 5-6 branches from the ganglion conveying postgalionic parasympathetic and sympathetic and sensory fibers to the submandibular gland.
- Branches to sublingual gland: these reach the sublingual gland via the lingual nerve through the anterior root of submadibular ganglion.