Location and Size
- The inferior ganglion of the glossopharyngeal nerve is located within the jugular foramen.
- It is larger than the superior ganglion of the glossopharyngeal nerve.
- It is also known as the petrosal ganglion.
- The ganglion is a sensory ganglion.
- It is inferior to the superior ganglion.

Sensory Innervation
- The inferior ganglion provides sensory innervation to areas around the tongue and pharynx.
- It innervates taste buds on the posterior 1/3 of the tongue.
- General sensory innervation is provided to the posterior 1/3 of the tongue, soft palate, palatine tonsils, upper pharynx, and Eustachian tubes.
- It also innervates baroreceptor cells in the carotid sinus.
- Glomus type I chemoreceptor cells in the carotid body are innervated by the ganglion.

Central Processes and Synapses
- The central processes of taste sensation neurons synapse in the rostral portion of the solitary nucleus.
- The central processes of general sensory neurons synapse in the spinal trigeminal nucleus.
- Neurons innervating the carotid sinus and carotid body synapse in the caudal portion of the solitary nucleus.
- Synapses occur in specific nuclei for different sensory functions.
- Central processes transmit sensory information to the respective nuclei.

Tympanic Nerve
- The tympanic nerve is the first branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.
- It branches at the level of the inferior ganglion.
- The axons forming the tympanic nerve do not synapse in the inferior ganglion.
- Neuron cell bodies of the axons are found in the inferior salivatory nucleus and superior ganglion.
- The tympanic nerve has a separate origin and pathway from the inferior ganglion.

References
- Rubin, Michael. Netter's Concise Neuroanatomy. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier, 2017.
- Safdieh, Joseph E., Netter, Frank H. (Frank Henry). Updated edition.
- The book provides detailed information on neuroanatomy.
- Page numbers 253-256 cover relevant content.
- ISBN: 9780323480918, OCLC: 946698976.