Question #526
The greater petrosal nerve
The greater petrosal nerve is the first branch of the facial nerve. It arises after the facial nerve has passed through the internal acoustic meatus after the geniculate ganglion where its cell bodies are located. The nerve exits the petrous part of the temporal bone through the greater petrosal foramen and runs across the floor of the middle cranial fossa. It passes over the foramen lacerum where it is joined by the deep petrosal nerve which carries sympathetic fibres from the cervical sympathetic plexus. Together the two nerves form the vidian nerve which passes through the vidian canal (also known as the pterygoid canal) to enter the pterygopalatine fossa where parasympathetic fibres synapse.