Otic Ganglion

Location and Relations

Otic ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion which is a relay station for secretomotor fibers to parotid gland.

It is 2-3 mm in size and oval-shaped.
It is located in the infratemporal fossa below the foramen ovale and its relations are:
- Laterally is the trunk of mandibular nerve.
- Medially is tensor veli palatini muscle.
- Posteriorly is the middle meningeal artery.
Topographically the otic ganglion is connected to mandibular nerve.
Functionally it is associated with glossopharyngeal nerve.

It is formed by the lesser petrosal nerve.
It carries preganglionic secretomotor fibers.
The preganglionic secretomotor fibers arise in inferior salivatory nucleus and join glossopharyngeal nerve .
These fibers than pass along the tympanic branch of glossopharyngeal nerve to join the tympanic plexus in middle ear.
From the tympanic plexus lesser petrosal nerve arises which leaves cranial cavity through foramen ovale to synapse in otic ganglion.
From the otic ganglion post ganglionic secretomotor fibers pass via auriculotemporal nerve to supply parotid gland.

It is derived from the sympathetic plexus around the middle meningeal artery.
Sympathetic fibers arise from lateral horn of Tl spinal segment .
They synapse/relay in superior cervical ganglion.
From Superior cervical ganglion the postganglionic fibers form plexus around middle meningeal artery.
These fibers pass through otic ganglion (without relaying) and supply parotid gland via auriculotemporal. These fibers are mainly vasomotor.

otic ganglion connections or roots