Corpus: Lingual nerve

The lingual nerve is a branch of the mandibular nerve (V3).

The lingual nerve initially runs between the medial pterygoid muscle and the lateral pterygoid muscle through the pterygoid gap. It lies directly anteromedial to the inferior alveolar nerve. At this point, the chorda tympani, coming steeply from the posterosuperior direction, joins the nerve.

As it continues, the lingual nerve runs between the medial pterygoid muscle and the mandibular ramus, crossing diagonally over the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle and the styloglossus muscle to the lateral side of the tongue. It then lies between the hyoglossus muscle and the deep part of the submandibular gland. Finally, it crosses under the excretory duct of the submandibular gland and runs along the body of the tongue directly beneath the mucosa up to its tip.

The lingual nerve consists mainly of somatosensory fibers. However, it also receives preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the chorda tympany and carries special sensory fibers for taste, which it transmits to the chorda tympani. The preganglionic fibers travel to the submandibular ganglion, which supplies the submandibular gland and the sublingual gland with postganglionic fibers.

• Sublingual nerve
• Tonsillar branches
• Lingual branches

The lingual nerve, with its general sensory fibers, supplies the front two-thirds of the tongue with sensation. The special sensory fibers (taste fibers) from the chorda tympani, a branch of the facial nerve, also supply the same area with taste information. Therefore, the lingual nerve is responsible for the perception of touch, pain, and temperature, as well as for taste sensation.