Location and Relations
- The submandibular ganglion is small and fusiform in shape.
- It is situated above the deep portion of the submandibular gland, on the hyoglossus muscle, near the posterior border of the mylohyoid muscle.
- The ganglion hangs by two nerve filaments from the lower border of the lingual nerve.
- It is suspended from the lingual nerve by two filaments, one anterior and one posterior.
- Through the posterior filament, it receives a branch from the chorda tympani nerve.
Fibers
- The submandibular ganglion is the site of synapse for parasympathetic fibers.
- It also carries other types of nerve fibers that do not synapse in the ganglion.
- Sympathetic fibers from the external carotid plexus do not synapse in this ganglion.
- Preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the superior salivatory nucleus synapse at this ganglion.
- Postganglionic parasympathetic fibers are secretomotor to the oral mucosa and the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands.
Additional Images
- Mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve, seen from the middle line.
- Diagram of efferent sympathetic nervous system.
References
- I. B. Singh (2008). The Facial Nerve.
- Essentials of Anatomy. Jaypee Brothers Publishers. p.395. ISBN9788184484618.
External Links
- Anatomy figure: 27:03-10 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
- Cranial nerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
- VII Autonomics of the Head and Neck – Page 9 of 14 anatomy module at med.umich.edu
The submandibular ganglion (or submaxillary ganglion in older texts) is part of the human autonomic nervous system. It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck. (The others are the otic ganglion, pterygopalatine ganglion, and ciliary ganglion).
| Submandibular ganglion | |
|---|---|
 Distribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion. (Submandibular ganglion visible at bottom left, but not labeled.) | |
 Parasympathetic connections of the submaxillary and superior cervical ganglia. (Submaxillary ganglion labeled at center right.) | |
| Details | |
| Innervates | submandibular gland, sublingual gland |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | ganglion submandibulare |
| TA98 | A14.3.02.009 |
| TA2 | 6667 |
| FMA | 6966 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
submandibular ganglion (plural submandibular ganglia)
