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Lateral Branch of Lingual Nerve (Right)
Nervous System

Lateral Branch of Lingual Nerve (Right)

Ramus lateralis nervi lingualis

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Quick Facts

Origin: Lingual nerve.

Course: Runs medially into the ventrolateral surface of the tongue, then forward under the ventrolateral mucosa to the anterior portion of the tongue.

Branches: None.

Supply: Conveys both general sense fibers from the mucosa of the tongue back to the trigeminal nerve, and special sense taste fibers from papillae back to the chorda tympani nerve.

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Origin

The lateral branch of the lingual nerve is a terminal branch of the lingual nerve that runs medially and anteriorly into the ventrolateral mucosa of the.

Its fibers originate in cell bodies in the trigeminal ganglion or the geniculate ganglion, for general sense and special sense fibers, respectively.

Course

The lateral branch of the lingual nerve runs anteromedially from into the ventrolateral surface of the tongue, roughly opposite the first or second mandibular molar. It then runs along the ventrolateral surface of the tongue, deep to the mucosa, to reach the anterior part of the tongue.

Branches

There are no named branches.

Supplied Structures

The lateral branch of the lingual nerve is a sensory nerve. It conveys general sense fibers from the mucosa of the anterolateral two third of the tongue back to the trigeminal nerve.

They also convey special sense taste fibers from taste receptors of the same area back, via the lingual nerve and chorda tympani, to the facial nerve (Zur et al, 2004).

References

Zur, K. B., Mu, L. & Sanders, I. (2004) Distribution pattern of the human lingual nerve. Clin Anat, 17(2), 88-92.

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Lingual Nerve

ScienceDirect image

The lingual nerve is a branch of the mandibular division of the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve that supplies general sensation and taste to the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.

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