Parasympathetic fibers
- The superior salivatory nucleus contains parasympathetic axons within the intermediate nerve.
- These fibers reach the geniculate ganglion but do not synapse.
- Some preganglionic fibers persist within the greater petrosal nerve and synapse with neurons in the pterygopalatine ganglion.
- Postganglionic neurons from the pterygopalatine ganglion provide parasympathetic innervation to the lacrimal gland.
- Parasympathetic innervation to the lacrimal gland is facilitated by a communicating branch from the zygomatic nerve to the lacrimal nerve of cranial nerve V.

Sensory fibers
- The sensory component of the intermediate nerve carries input about sensation from the skin of the external auditory meatus.
- It also carries sensory information from the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and nose.
- Taste input from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, floor of the mouth, and soft palate is transmitted through the chorda tympani nerve and lingual nerve.
- The geniculate ganglion contains the cell bodies of the sensory component of the nervus intermedius.
- Nervus intermedius neuralgia is a pain syndrome associated with the nervus intermedius.

References
- Chern, Kenneth C.; Wright, Kenneth Weston (2004-01-01). Review Questions in Ophthalmology: A Question and Answer Book. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 9780781752039.
- M.D, Parviz Janfaza (2011-06-15). Surgical Anatomy of the Head and Neck. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674417830.
- Hewer, E. E.; Sandes, G. M. (2013-10-22). An Introduction to the Study of the Nervous System. Elsevier. ISBN 9781483195193.
- Alfieri, Alex. (2012). Der Nervus Intermedius Ein eigenständiger Hirnnerv? (1. Aufled.). Saarbrücken: Südwestdeutscher Verlag für Hochschulschriften. ISBN 9783838110714. OCLC 864033849.

Anatomy figure
- Anatomy figure: 25:03-13 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20130930044559/http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/virtualbrain/BrainStem/15Salivatory.html

External links
- Anatomy figure: 25:03-13 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20130930044559/http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/virtualbrain/BrainStem/15Salivatory.html

Intermediate nerve (Wikipedia)

The intermediate nerve, nervus intermedius, nerve of Wrisberg or Glossopalatine nerve, is the part of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) located between the motor component of the facial nerve and the vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII). It contains the sensory and parasympathetic fibers of the facial nerve. Upon reaching the facial canal, it joins with the motor root of the facial nerve at the geniculate ganglion. Alex Alfieri postulates that the intermediate nerve should be considered as a separate cranial nerve and not a part of the facial nerve.

Intermediate nerve
Plan of the facial and intermediate nerves and their communication with other nerves. (N. intermedius labeled at upper left.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Nervus intermedius
TA98	A14.2.01.115
TA2	6286
FMA	53410
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]