The chorda tympani nerve is a branch of which cranial nerve and carries which modality?

• A CN IX; taste from posterior 1/3 of tongue and salivation
• B CN V3; taste from anterior 2/3 and general sensation from posterior 1/3
• C CN VII; taste from posterior 1/3 and secretomotor to parotid gland
• D CN VII; taste from anterior 2/3 of tongue and secretomotor to submandibular and sublingual glands ✓

Explanation

The chorda tympani is a branch of the facial nerve (CN VII) that joins the lingual nerve (CN V3) in the infratemporal fossa. It carries taste sensation from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue (via cell bodies in the geniculate ganglion) and preganglionic parasympathetic fibres (from the superior salivatory nucleus) that synapse in the submandibular ganglion to supply secretomotor innervation to the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands. CN IX supplies taste from the posterior 1/3 via the lesser petrosal nerve pathway to the parotid.

Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.