A Study of Four Cases of Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia

The anatomy of the glossopharyngeal nerve is a matter of dispute, and its exact relationship to the tenth and eleventh cranial nerves is matter for conjecture. All authorities differ with regard to the exact details of its central and peripheral connections. According to Ranson, 1 the glossopharyngeal is a mixed nerve made up of general and special visceral afferent fibers and general and special visceral efferent fibers. The general and special afferent fibers have their cells of origin in the petrous ganglion. Their central branches terminate in the solitary tract and its nucleus. The general visceral efferent fibers arise from the cells of the inferior salivatory nucleus of the medulla oblongata. The special visceral afferent fibers arise in the nucleus ambiguus, the medullary continuation of the dorsolateral cell group of the anterior column of the cord. Superficially the glossopharyngeal nerve takes its origin from the rostral end of the posterolateral