Baroreceptors in the wall of the carotid sinus detect stretch and transmit impulses centrally via which nerve and ganglion?

• A Vagus nerve, cell bodies in nodose ganglion
• B Glossopharyngeal nerve, cell bodies in superior (jugular) ganglion
• C Glossopharyngeal nerve, cell bodies in inferior (petrosal) ganglion ✓
• D Facial nerve, cell bodies in geniculate ganglion

Explanation

Carotid sinus baroreceptor afferents run in the carotid sinus branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve, with their cell bodies in the inferior (petrosal) ganglion, and terminate in the solitary tract nucleus. The aortic arch baroreceptors instead travel in the vagus with cell bodies in the nodose ganglion, which makes option A the strongest distractor since it describes the other arterial baroreceptor correctly but for the wrong territory.

Reference: Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology, 26th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.