Arnold's nerve
Arnold's nerve is the auricular branch, also known as the mastoid branch, of the vagus nerve (CN X).
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Origin and course
Arnold's nerve originates from the superior ganglion of the vagus nerve and also has a small contribution from the inferior ganglion of the glossopharyngeal nerve. It ascends through the mastoid canaliculus (located lateral to the jugular fossa).
Innervation
Arnold's nerve innervates the small parts of the external acoustic meatus and is the source of glomus jugulotympanicum from the non-chromaffin paraganglion cells, which are found along the nerve.
It is also responsible for the referred otalgia through the vagus nerve (CN X), in the case of laryngeal pathology.
History and etymology
Named after Philipp Friedrich Arnold, German anatomist (1803-1890) 1,3. Also known as the alderman's nerve on the belief that stimulating the external auditory canal will stimulate gastric emptying; the aldermen who ate too much for lunch would wiggle their fingers in the external canal to relieve their epigastric discomfort.
Related pathology
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