Corpus: Auriculotemporal nerve

The auriculotemporal nerve is a branch of the mandibular nerve (V3) that carries somatosensory and parasympathetic fibres.

The auriculotemporal nerve originates from the mandibular nerve with two fibre bundles that wrap around the middle meningeal artery, and then unite to form a single nerve. It runs caudally medial to the mandibular collum, gives off parasympathetic branches to the parotid gland and then swings upwards ventrally past the auricle. Here it crosses the zygomatic process of the temporal bone (os temporale) below the superficial temporal artery.

The auriculotemporal nerve receives postganglionic fibres from the otic ganglion, which originate from the glossopharyngeal nerve (IX nerve) (Jacobson's anastomosis). It releases these fibres to the parotid gland along its course and then continues with only sensory fibres. These fibers provide sensory innervation to:

• the skin in the temporal region
• the areas of skin in front of the auricle
• large parts of the auricle
• the external auditory canal (Meatus acusticus externus)
• the outside of the eardrum

The auriculotemporal nerve gives off the following branches:

• The parotid rami to the parotid gland.
• The anterior auricular nerves innervate the concave outer surface of the auricle.
• The nervus meatus acustici externi runs to the external auditory canal.
• The rami membranae tympani are delicate branches that run to the eardrum
• The rami articulares run to the temporomandibular joint.
• The superficial temporal rami innervate the skin of the temporal region as terminal branches.

Irritation of the nerve - e.g. in the context of parotitis - can lead to pain in its innervation area, known as auriculotemporal neuralgia.

• Anderhuber et al, Waldeyer - Human Anatomy: Lehrbuch und Atlas in einem Band (De Gruyter Studium) (19th totaly rev. ed.), De Gruyter, 2012