Sensory fibers carrying the afferent limb of the corneal blink reflex pass through the ciliary ganglion by which route?

• A They are postganglionic parasympathetic fibers relayed in the ganglion and travel in short ciliary nerves
• B Postganglionic sympathetic fibers relay in the ganglion and reach the dilator pupillae via the short ciliary nerves
• C They synapse in the ganglion and then travel to the cornea via the long ciliary nerves
• D They arise from the nasociliary nerve, traverse the ganglion without synapsing, and leave in the short ciliary nerves ✓

Explanation

The ciliary ganglion has three roots. Only the preganglionic parasympathetic root from the inferior division of the oculomotor nerve synapses there. The sensory root comes from the nasociliary nerve and the sympathetic root from the internal carotid plexus; fibers of both simply pass through the ganglion without relaying and reach the eyeball in the short ciliary nerves. Corneal sensory fibers therefore run nasociliary to ciliary ganglion to short ciliary nerves, and their cell bodies lie in the trigeminal ganglion.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy, 42nd ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.