Chorda Tympani Joins Lingual — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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HardAnatomy (Head & Neck)Chorda Tympani Joins LingualMFDS Part 1

Taste and preganglionic parasympathetic fibres carried by the chorda tympani become incorporated into the lingual nerve in which anatomical region?

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Correct answer: A — Infratemporal fossa

The correct answer is **A, infratemporal fossa**. The chorda tympani branches from the facial nerve, traverses the tympanic cavity and exits the temporal bone through the petrotympanic fissure. It then descends in the infratemporal fossa and joins the lingual nerve, a branch of V3. Its fibres subsequently convey taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and preganglionic parasympathetic supply destined for the submandibular ganglion. The pterygopalatine fossa is associated with the greater petrosal pathway, not this junction. The submandibular triangle and floor of the mouth contain downstream parts of the lingual-secretomotor pathway. The chorda tympani crosses the tympanic cavity but does not join the lingual nerve there.

Reference: Vrapciu AD et al. Trigeminal-Facial Nerve Anatomical Connections and Their Clinical Value: A Narrative Review, Figure 3, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42351514/