Corpus: Nerve of the pterygoid canal

The term nerve of the pterygoid canal refers to the union of the greater petrosal nerve and the deep petrosal nerve in the pterygoid canal.

The pterygoid canal nerve runs together with the pterygoid canal artery through the pterygoid canal. It carries postganglionic sympathetic fibers from the internal carotid plexus and preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the superior salivatory nucleus. The nerve enters the pterygopalatine fossa and the pterygopalatine ganglion. Here, the preganglionic parasympathetic fibers synapse. The parasympathetic and sympathetic nerve fibers then travel to the nasal glands and the lacrimal gland to innervate them together with the zygomatic nerve.