internal carotid plexus

Information about internal carotid plexus

Nerve:
Sympathetic connections of the ciliary and superior cervical ganglia. (Carotid plexus visible center top.)
Diagram of the cervical sympathetic. (Carotid plexus visible center top.)
Latinplexus caroticus internus
subject #215 977
Dorlands/Elsevier p_24/12647616
The internal carotid plexus (carotid plexus) is situated on the lateral side of the internal carotid artery, and in the plexus there occasionally exists a small gangliform swelling, the carotid ganglion, on the under surface of the artery.

The internal carotid plexus communicates with the semilunar ganglion, the abducent nerve, and the sphenopalatine ganglion; it distributes filaments to the wall of the carotid artery, and also communicates with the tympanic branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.

Additional images


Nerves of the orbit, and the ciliary ganglion. Side view.

Pathways in the Ciliary Ganglion.




This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
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Elsevier, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has substantial operations in the UK, USA and elsewhere.
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In human anatomy, the internal carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck that helps supply blood to the brain.

Classification

Terminologia Anatomica currently breaks the artery into four parts: "cervical", "petrous", "cavernous", and "cerebral".
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The trigeminal ganglion (or Gasserian ganglion, or semilunar ganglion) is a sensory ganglion of the trigeminal nerve which occupies a cavity (Meckel's cave) in the dura mater covering the trigeminal impression near the apex of the petrous part of the temporal bone.
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The abducens nerve (the sixth cranial nerve, also called the sixth nerve or simply VI) is a motor nerve (a “somatic efferent” nerve) that controls the movement of a single muscle, the lateral rectus muscle of the eye.
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The pterygopalatine ganglion (or sphenopalatine ganglion) is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa.

Structure

The pterygopalatine ganglion (of Meckel), the largest of the parasympathetic ganglia associated with the branches of the trigeminal
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In human anatomy, the common carotid artery is an artery that supplies the head and neck with oxygenated blood; it divides in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries.
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The tympanic nerve (nerve of Jacobson) arises from the petrous ganglion, and ascends to the tympanic cavity through a small canal on the under surface of the petrous portion of the temporal bone on the ridge which separates the carotid canal from the jugular fossa.
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The glossopharyngeal nerve is the ninth of twelve pairs of cranial nerves. It exits the brainstem out from the sides of the upper medulla, just rostral (closer to the nose) to the vagus nerve.
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Public domain comprises the body of knowledge and innovation (especially creative works such as writing, art, music, and inventions) in relation to which no person or other legal entity can establish or maintain proprietary interests within a particular legal jurisdiction.
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Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (or Gray's Anatomy as it has commonly been shortened) is an English-language human anatomy textbook widely regarded as a classic work on the subject.
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A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of axons (the long, slender projection of a neuron). Neurons are sometimes called nerve cells, though this term is technically imprecise since many neurons do not form nerves, and nerves also include the glial cells that
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autonomic nervous system (ANS) (or visceral nervous system) is the part of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control system, maintaining homeostasis in the body. These maintenance activities are primarily performed without conscious control or sensation.
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The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is a branch of the autonomic nervous system. It is always active at a basal level (called sympathetic tone) and becomes more active during times of stress.
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Sympathetic ganglia are the ganglia of the sympathetic nervous system. They deliver information to the body about stress and impending danger, and are responsible for the familiar fight-or-flight response.
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parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is one of three divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS -a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system (PNS)- is subdivided into the sympathetic (SNS), parasympathetic (PSNS) and enteric (bowels) nervous system (ENS).
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Parasympathetic ganglia are the autonomic ganglia of the parasympathetic nervous system. Most are small terminal ganglia or intramural ganglia, so named because they lie near or within (respectively) the organs they innervate.
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head of an animal is the rostral part (from anatomical position) that usually comprises the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth (all of which aid in various sensory functions, such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste).
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The ciliary ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion located in the posterior orbit. It measures 1- 2 millimeters in diameter and contains approximately 2,500 neurons[1]. Preganglionic axons from the Edinger-Westphal nucleus form synapses with these cells.
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The branches of the ciliary ganglion are the short ciliary nerves.

These are delicate filaments, from six to ten in number, which arise from the forepart of the ganglion in two bundles connected with its superior and inferior angles; the lower bundle is the larger.
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The pterygopalatine ganglion (or sphenopalatine ganglion) is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa.

Structure

The pterygopalatine ganglion (of Meckel), the largest of the parasympathetic ganglia associated with the branches of the trigeminal
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The nerve of the pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve), formed by the junction of the great petrosal nerve and the deep petrosal nerve in the cartilaginous substance which fills the foramen lacerum, passes forward, through the pterygoid canal, with the corresponding artery (artery
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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).
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The otic ganglion is a small, ovalshaped, flattened parasympathetic ganglion of a reddish-gray color, located immediately below the foramen ovale.

Location and relations


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The neck is the part of the body on many limbed vertebrates that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk.

Anatomy of the human neck

Bony anatomy: The cervical spine

The cervical portion of the human spine
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The superior cervical ganglion (SCG), the largest of the cervical ganglia, is placed opposite the second and third cervical vertebræ. It contains neurons that supply sympathetic innervation to the face.
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The middle cervical ganglion is the smallest of the three cervical ganglia, and is occasionally absent.

It is placed opposite the sixth cervical vertebra, usually in front of, or close to, the inferior thyroid artery.
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The inferior cervical ganglion is situated between the base of the transverse process of the last cervical vertebra and the neck of the first rib, on the medial side of the costocervical artery.
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The stellate ganglion (or cervicothoracic ganglion) is a ganglion formed by the fusion of inferior cervical ganglion and the first paravertebral ganglion.

The clinical significance of these ganglion is that they may be cut in order to decrease the symptoms exhibited
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The cavernous plexus is situated below and medial to that part of the internal carotid artery which is placed by the side of the sella turcica in the cavernous sinus, and is formed chiefly by the medial division of the internal carotid nerve.
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