Carotid sinus nerve


The carotid branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve is a small branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX) that innervates the carotid sinus, and carotid body.

Anatomy

Course and relations

It runs downward anterior to the internal carotid artery. It communicates with the vagus nerve and sympathetic trunk before dividing in the angle of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery to innervate the carotid body, and carotid sinus.

Function

It conveys information from the baroreceptors of the carotid sinus to the vasomotor center in the brainstem, and from chemoreceptors of the carotid body.