Parasympathetic fibers to the parotid gland travel with which nerve?

Prepare for the Individual Readiness Assurance Test (iRAT) 4 in Head and Neck. Study with multiple-choice questions, comprehensive explanations, and detailed flashcards. Maximize your chances of success with thorough preparation and insightful study resources.

Parasympathetic secretomotor fibers to the parotid originate from the glossopharyngeal nerve and synapse in the otic ganglion. The postganglionic fibers then hitchhike with the auriculotemporal nerve, a branch of the mandibular division (V3), to reach and stimulate the parotid gland. That’s why the auriculotemporal nerve is the carrier for these fibers to the parotid. The other options don’t carry parasympathetic innervation to the parotid: the great auricular nerve is purely sensory to the skin, the hypoglossal nerve is motor to the tongue, and although the lesser petrosal nerve provides the preganglionic route to the otic ganglion, the fibers reach the gland via the auriculotemporal nerve.