Medial pterygoid nerve

Nerve: Medial pterygoid nerve
Mandibular division of the trigeminus nerve. (Internal pterygoid nerve visible but not labeled.)
Mandibular division of trifacial nerve, seen from the middle line. Nerve to medial pterygoid labeled at bottom.
Latin	n. pterygoideus internus n. pterygoideus medialis
Gray's	subject #200 894
Innervates	medial pterygoid, tensor veli palatini, tensor tympani
From	mandibular nerve

The medial pterygoid nerve (or internal pterygoid nerve) is a branch of the mandibular nerve that innervates the medial pterygoid muscle, tensor veli palatini and tensor tympani.

Structure

The nerve to the medial pterygoid muscle is a slender branch of the mandibular nerve which enters the deep surface of the muscle; it gives off one or two filaments to the otic ganglion.

The nerve provides physical support for the otic ganglion, but is neurologically distinct.

Branches

Additionally, the tensor veli palatini is innervated by the nerve to tensor veli palatini, a branch of the nerve to the medial pterygoid. Of the five paired skeletal muscles to the soft palate, tensor veli palati is the only muscle not innervated by the pharyngeal plexus.

See also

• Lateral pterygoid nerve

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.