Lingual Branches of Glossopharyngeal Nerve (Left)

Origin

The lingual branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve are terminal branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve. They originate deep to hyoglossus muscle, or just posterior to that in the space between the superior and middle pharyngeal constrictor muscles.

Course

From their origins, the lingual branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve run medially into the tongue. Once in the tongue, the branches defasciculate, spreading out to the glands, papillae, and mucous membranes of the posterior third of the tongue.

Branches

There are no named branches.

Supplied Structures

The lingual branches of the glossopharyngeal nerve are sensory. They convey special visceral afferent and general somatic afferent taste fibers from the posterior third of the tongue.

One ramification of the lingual branches typically supplies the circumvallate papillae and mucous membranes of the posterior tongue. A second branch typically supplies the mucous membrane of the posterior third of the tongue.