Review Of Cranial Autonomics

Question 1

Where is the ciliary ganglion located and what nerves contribute its sensory, GVE-P, and GVE-S roots?

Answer 1

Location - orbit between optic nerve and lateral rectus
Sensory root - nasociliary branch of V1
GVE-P root - occulomotor nerve
GVE-S root - internal carotid nerve via the cavernous branch

Question 2

Where is the pterygopalatine ganglion located and what nerves contribute its sensory, GVE-P, and GVE-S roots?

Answer 2

Location - pterygopalatine fossa
Sensory root - pterygopalatine nerves of V2
GVE-P root - greater petrosal nerve (VII)
GVE-S root - deep petrosal nerve

Question 3

Where is the submandibular ganglion located and what nerves contribute its sensory, GVE-P, and GVE-S roots?

Answer 3

Location - oral cavity
Sensory root - lingual nerve (V3)
GVE-P root - chorda tympani (VII)
GVE-S root - external carotid nerve

Question 4

What would be the consequence if the GVE-P fibers of CN III were dysfuncitonal?

Answer 4

Loss of pupillary sphincter muscle causing a dilated pupil and loss of pupillary light reflex. Loss of accomodation.

Question 5

What would be the consequence of dysfunctional GVE-P fibers of greater petrosal nerve?

Answer 5

Lacrimal gland would lose innervation stimulating secretions causing red eye, dryness, and possibly ulceration. Nasal cavity would become dry due to loss of stimualtion of secretions.

Question 6

What would be the consequence of dysfunctional GVE-P fibers of chorda tympani nerve?

Answer 6

Sublingual and submandibulary salivary glands would lose the innervation providing the stimulation of secretions causing xerostomia.

Question 7

What would be the consequence of dysfunctional GVE-P fibers of lesser petrosal nerve?

Answer 7

Parotid gland would lose the innervation stimulating the secretion of saliva causing xerostomia.

Question 8

What would be the consequence of dysfunctional GVE-S fibers of cavernous sinus nerve?

Answer 8

Superior tarsal muscle innervation would be lost causing ptosis and innervation of the dilator pupillae muscle would be lost causing constricted pupils.

Question 9

What would be the consequence of dysfunctional GVE-S fibers of external carotid nerve?

Answer 9

Loss of facial sweating. Anhydrosis.

Question 10

What is Horner’s syndrome and its possible causes? What is the classic triad?

Answer 10

Loss of sympathetic innervation to the head. Lesion of sympathetic pathway descending from hypothalamus (stroke), lesion of sympathetic chain in root of neck (pancoast tumor), or lesion of the SCSG.

Triad = ptosis, miosis, and anhydrosis