Fibers
Like other parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck, the submandibular ganglion is the site of synapse for parasympathetic fibers and carries other types of nerve fiber that do not synapse in the ganglion. In summary, the fibers carried in the ganglion are:
- Sympathetic fibers from the external carotid plexus, via the facial nerve and its branches. These do not synapse in this ganglion.
- Preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the superior salivatory nucleus of the medulla oblongata, via the chorda tympani and lingual nerve, which synapse at the origin of:
- Postganglionic parasympathetic fibers to the oral mucosa and the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands.They are secretomotor to these glands.
Read more about this topic: Submandibular Ganglion