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.

Multiple Choice

Which gland has parasympathetic innervation that travels via the otic ganglion?

The otic ganglion is the relay point for parasympathetic input to the parotid gland. Preganglionic fibers start in the inferior salivatory nucleus, travel with the glossopharyngeal nerve, synapse in the otic ganglion, and the postganglionic fibers then hitchhike on the auriculotemporal nerve (a branch of V3) to stimulate the parotid gland. This route is specific to the parotid; the submandibular and sublingual glands use their own ganglia (submandibular and sublingual, respectively), and the thyroid gland isn’t served by this otic-ganglion pathway.

The otic ganglion is the relay point for parasympathetic input to the parotid gland. Preganglionic fibers start in the inferior salivatory nucleus, travel with the glossopharyngeal nerve, synapse in the otic ganglion, and the postganglionic fibers then hitchhike on the auriculotemporal nerve (a branch of V3) to stimulate the parotid gland. This route is specific to the parotid; the submandibular and sublingual glands use their own ganglia (submandibular and sublingual, respectively), and the thyroid gland isn’t served by this otic-ganglion pathway.