genikulaarigemellin

Genikulaarigemellin, also known as the geniculate ganglion, is a collection of nerve cell bodies located within the petrous part of the temporal bone in the human skull. It is a sensory ganglion of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII). The geniculate ganglion contains the cell bodies of pseudounipolar neurons that transmit sensory information from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, the palate, and the external auditory canal.

The geniculate ganglion receives general somatic afferent fibers that convey touch, pain, and temperature sensations from the skin of the auricle and external auditory meatus. It also receives special visceral afferent fibers (taste fibers) from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, which are carried by the chorda tympani nerve. These taste fibers synapse within the geniculate ganglion.

Inflammation or damage to the geniculate ganglion can lead to a condition known as geniculate neuralgia, characterized by severe, sharp, and episodic facial pain. This pain is often localized to the ear canal and surrounding areas. Conditions affecting the geniculate ganglion can also result in sensory deficits, such as loss of taste sensation in the anterior tongue or altered sensation in the external auditory canal. The anatomical proximity of the geniculate ganglion to other cranial nerves and structures within the temporal bone means that lesions in this area can sometimes involve multiple neurological functions.