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← Back to Search Results Cranial Nerve IX: Glossopharyngeal Nerve LAST UPDATED: 11TH APRIL 2019

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The glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) mediates taste, salivation and swallowing (together with CN X).

Table: Overview of the Glossopharyngeal Nerve

Cranial Nerve IX:
Glossopharyngeal Nerve Cranial Glossopharyngeal Nerve (CN IX)
Anatomy Nerve
FRCEM Success
Key anatomy Originates from medulla, exits skull via jugular foramen

Sensory Posterior one-third of tongue, tonsils, oropharynx, soft palate, middle ear, taste from posterior one-third of tongue,
function visceral a erents from carotid body and sinus, a erent pathway of gag re ex

Motor Stylopharyngeus muscle (facilitates swallowing), parasympathetic bres to parotid gland

function

Assessment Gag re ex, swallowing

Clinical Loss of gag re ex, dysphagia, loss of carotid sinus re ex, loss of taste from posterior one-third of tongue
e ects of
KEYWORDS injury
Cranial Nerves Glossopharyngeal Nerve
Causes of Occipital condyle fractures, lateral medullary syndrome, jugular foramen syndrome, carotid artery dissection
injury

RELATED TOPICS
Anatomy Head and Neck
Anatomical Course
Cranial Nerve Lesions Neck

The glossopharyngeal nerve originates from the medulla and travels lateral in the posterior cranial fossa before emerging from the cranial cavity
Something wrong? via the jugular foramen.

GLOSSOPHARYN GEAL N ERVE. (IMAGE BY HEN RY VAN DYKE CARTER [PUBLIC DOMA IN] , V IA W IKIME DIA CO MMO NS)

Function

The glossopharyngeal nerve carries:

General visceral a erent bres from the carotid body and sinus
General sensory a erent bres from the posterior one-third of the tongue, palatine tonsils, oropharynx, soft palate, and mucosa of the
middle ear, pharyngotympanic tube and mastoid ear cells
Special a erent bres for taste from the posterior one-third of the tongue
Parasympathetic secretomotor bres to the parotid salivary gland
Motor bres to the stylopharyngeus muscle (elevates larynx and pharynx facilitating swallowing)

Assessment

The glossopharyngeal nerve can be assessed together with the vagus nerve (CN X) by:

Asking the patient to cough

Asking the patient to open the mouth wide and say 'ah' while visualising the palate and posterior pharyngeal wall (the soft palate should
move upwards centrally)
Testing the gag re ex

Likely Causes of Disease or Injury

Causes of damage to CN IX include:

Occipital condyle fractures

Lateral medullary syndrome
Ischaemia secondary to vertebral artery damage
Jugular foramen syndrome (palsy of CN IX, X, XI and XII caused by tumours, meningitis and infection from the middle ear spreading into
the posterior fossa or trauma)
Carotid artery dissection

Isolated glossopharyngeal nerve palsy is rare. It is usually damaged with CN X and XI, close to the jugular foramen.

Common Clinical E ects

CN IX palsy will result in:

Loss of gag re ex (a erent pathway)

Loss of carotid sinus re ex
Loss of taste from posterior one-third of tongue
Dysphagia