Structure
- The posterior ethmoidal nerve is a branch of the nasociliary nerve.
- It passes through the posterior ethmoidal foramen alongside the posterior ethmoidal artery.
Innervation
- Within the anterior cranial fossa, it issues a branch to innervate part of the dura mater.
- It gives branches to the sphenoid sinus and the ethmoid sinus.
- The posterior ethmoidal nerve supplies sensation to the sphenoid sinus and the ethmoid sinus.
- It also supplies sensation to part of the dura mater in the anterior cranial fossa.
Variation
- The posterior ethmoidal nerve is absent in around 30% of people.
- This absence may affect the innervation of the sphenoid sinus and the ethmoid sinus.
Other animals
- The posterior ethmoidal nerve is present in other animals, including horses.
- Analgesia or neurectomy of the posterior ethmoidal nerve can be used to treat headshaking in horses.
References
- Barral, Jean-Pierre; Croibier, Alain (2009). Manual Therapy for the Cranial Nerves. Churchill Livingstone. pp.115–128.
- Semmer, A. E.; McLoon, L. K.; Lee, M. S. (2010). Orbital Vascular Anatomy. Encyclopedia of the Eye. Academic Press. pp.241–251.
- Shimizu, Toshihiko; Suzuki, Norihiro (2010). Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol.97. Elsevier. pp.35–45.
- Seker, Askin; Martins, Carolina; Rhoton Jr., Albert L. (2010). Meningiomas. Saunders. pp.11–51.
- Rea, Paul (2016). Essential Clinically Applied Anatomy of the Peripheral Nervous System in the Head and Neck. Academic Press. pp.21–130.
The posterior ethmoidal nerve is a nerve of the head. It is a branch of the nasociliary nerve (itself a branch of the ophthalmic nerve (CN V1)). It provides sensory innervation to the sphenoid sinus and ethmoid sinus, and part of the dura mater in the anterior cranial fossa.
Posterior ethmoidal nerve | |
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![]() The ophthalmic artery and its branches. (Nerve not pictured, but location is similar to artery.) | |
Details | |
From | nasociliary nerve |
Innervates | sphenoidal sinus, ethmoidal sinus |
Identifiers | |
Latin | nervus ethmoidalis posterior |
TA98 | A14.2.01.028 |
TA2 | 6207 |
FMA | 52714 |
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |