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Parotid Innervation — NDEB AFK MCQ

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HardBiomedical SciencesParotid InnervationNDEB AFK

Which cranial nerve carries parasympathetic fibres that synapse in the otic ganglion to supply the parotid gland?

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Correct answer: BGlossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

Preganglionic parasympathetic fibres from CN IX (via the lesser petrosal nerve) synapse in the otic ganglion. Postganglionic fibres then hitchhike on the auriculotemporal nerve (branch of V3) to reach the parotid gland, stimulating serous secretion. CN VII provides parasympathetic supply to the submandibular and sublingual glands via the submandibular ganglion.

Reference: Moore – Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 9th ed., 2019