Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyFunctionAssociated Conditions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Function
Associated Conditions
The geniculate ganglion is a collection of sensory neurons of thefacial nerve, which is theseventh cranial nerve(CN VII). The ganglion is located in a bony structure that’s called the facial canal. It receives fibers from several components of the facial nerve, then sends out fibers to multiple muscles, glands, the tongue, and other structures. It’s involved in taste, the secretion of tears and saliva, facial expression, and several other functions.
Doucefleur/iStock/Getty Images
You have 12 cranial nerve ganglia on each side of your brain. As with nerves, they’re generally referred to in the singular even though they exist in generally symmetrical pairs.
Cranial nervesoriginate in the back of your head and travel forward toward your face, supplying nerve function as they go. Some deal with motor function (movement), some deal with sensory information (touch, taste, smell, vision, hearing, temperature), and some deal with both. Those are called mixed nerves.
Four of your cranial nerve ganglia are parasympathetic and eight are sensory. The geniculate ganglion is one of the sensory ganglia, meaning that it helps gather information from your senses and transmit it to and from your brain. It’s also connected to secretomotor fibers, which are the ones that help the glands to secrete their fluids.
You may have heard of “ganglion cysts,” which shouldn’t be confused with neural ganglia. Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled lumps that can develop on your tendons or joints, most commonly in the hands and feet.
Structure and Location
The geniculate ganglion is part of the facial nerve, which is one of the longest cranial nerves and has a complex anatomy. It has two roots that arise from the brainstem (the structure that connects the brain and spinal cord) in the back of your head. One root is motor and the other is sensory. Inside your skull, the two roots travel forward and pass near the inner ear. There, they enter a Z-shaped structure called the facial canal.
In the facial canal, the two roots fuse together. At the first bend of the Z, they form the geniculate ganglion.
The ganglion then sends out nerve fibers to several nerve branches, including:
Fibers from the geniculate ganglion also innervate (provide nerve function to):
The ganglion itself is pyramid-shaped and between 1 and 2 millimeters long.
Anatomical Variations
Discussions of anatomy generally focus on what’s typical, but not everyone’s anatomy is exactly the same. Variations in nerve structures and routes exist, and they’re important for doctors to know when it comes to diagnosis and treatment—especially when that treatment is surgery.
Studies have revealed a few abnormalities that involve the geniculate ganglion:
The size and shape of the ganglion itself are fairly consistent.
All of this information can help a surgeon determine the best approach to take during a procedure to minimize the risk of accidentally damaging the ganglion as well as the nerves and other structures around it.
The word “geniculate” is from the Latin word for knee, which is genu. In modern usage, it means “having knee-like bends or joints.” It’s used for the geniculate ganglion because it resides inside of bony canal that’s vaguely Z-shaped, thus having a knee-like bend.
The geniculate ganglion contains special sensory cells for your sense of taste that receive information from:
In addition, it gets sensory input from the sensory branch of the facial nerve, which is sometimes called the intermediate nerve or nervus intermedius. This information comes from:
After these sensory signals come into the ganglion, it then relays them to the appropriate structures in the brainstem for processing.
Problems with the geniculate ganglion are associated with several forms of facial paralysis:
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
Herpes zoster oticus, which is the virus that causeschickenpox, can reactivate later in life as a highly painful condition calledshingles. When shingles strikes near the geniculate ganglion, it causes Ramsay Hunt syndrome. This typically happens only on one side of the face at a time.
Primary symptomsof Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which occur only on the affected side, can include any combination of:
Other symptomsmay include:
Early treatment is crucial for preventing long-term complications, so be sure to get medical help right away if you experience these symptoms.
Possible complicationsare:
Treatmentoften involves antiviral medications and corticosteroids.Depending on your specific symptoms, the doctor may also prescribe standard pain medications (analgesics), anti-seizure drugs to help with nerve pain, and medications for vertigo. When the eye is involved, artificial tears and/or other lubricating products may be used to prevent damage to the cornea.
Vaccinesfor chickenpoxandshinglesare the best defense against Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
In-Depth: Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
Bell’s Palsy
Bell’s palsy and Ramsay Hunt syndrome are often indistinguishable based on symptoms alone; the suspected causes and treatments, however, are different.
Bell’s palsy is due to inflammation of unknown origin involving the geniculate ganglion. That can compress the facial nerve inside the fallopian canal.
Symptomsof Bell’s palsy can vary. They occur only on one side of the face and may include:
Bell’s Palsy usually takes 3 - 6 months to resolve with or without treatment.When treatment is necessary, it typically involvescorticosteroidsto reduce inflammation,antiviralsin case of herpes infection, and common painkillers. The eye should be kept lubricated with drops or other lubricating products, and an eye patch is often recommended. Plastic surgery may be performed to correct facial deformities such as a crooked smile or an eyelid that won’t close properly.
In-Depth: Bell’s Palsy
Geniculate Ganglion Schwannoma
This ganglion may develop a rare tumor called a geniculate ganglion schwannoma. Schwannomas are tumors involving Schwann cells, which help conduct impulses in the cranial nerves and the peripheral nervous system.
Symptomsinclude:
Some cases of geniculate ganglion schwannoma don’t requiretreatment. In those that do, microsurgery may be done to repair the facial nerve. A procedure called stereotactic radiosurgery, a kind of radiation therapy used on small brain tumors, may also be recommended.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arístegui M, Martín-Oviedo C, Aristegui I, García-Leal R, Ruiz-Juretschke F.Anatomical variations of the intrapetrous portion of the facial nerve.Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2019;302(4):588–598. doi:10.1002/ar.23923Farbman AI, Guagliardo N, Sollars SI, Hill DL.Each sensory nerve arising from the geniculate ganglion expresses a unique fingerprint of neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor genes.J Neurosci Res. 2004;78(5):659–667. doi:10.1002/jnr.20297Kanerva M, Jones S, Pitkaranta A.Ramsay Hunt syndrome: characteristics and patient self-assessed long-term facial palsy outcome.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020;277(4):1235–1245. doi:10.1007/s00405-020-05817-yNational Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (NORD).Ramsay Hunt syndrome.National Institutes of Health: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Bell’s palsy fact sheet.American Journal of Neuroradiology.Geniculate ganglion schwannoma.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arístegui M, Martín-Oviedo C, Aristegui I, García-Leal R, Ruiz-Juretschke F.Anatomical variations of the intrapetrous portion of the facial nerve.Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2019;302(4):588–598. doi:10.1002/ar.23923Farbman AI, Guagliardo N, Sollars SI, Hill DL.Each sensory nerve arising from the geniculate ganglion expresses a unique fingerprint of neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor genes.J Neurosci Res. 2004;78(5):659–667. doi:10.1002/jnr.20297Kanerva M, Jones S, Pitkaranta A.Ramsay Hunt syndrome: characteristics and patient self-assessed long-term facial palsy outcome.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020;277(4):1235–1245. doi:10.1007/s00405-020-05817-yNational Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (NORD).Ramsay Hunt syndrome.National Institutes of Health: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Bell’s palsy fact sheet.American Journal of Neuroradiology.Geniculate ganglion schwannoma.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Arístegui M, Martín-Oviedo C, Aristegui I, García-Leal R, Ruiz-Juretschke F.Anatomical variations of the intrapetrous portion of the facial nerve.Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2019;302(4):588–598. doi:10.1002/ar.23923Farbman AI, Guagliardo N, Sollars SI, Hill DL.Each sensory nerve arising from the geniculate ganglion expresses a unique fingerprint of neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor genes.J Neurosci Res. 2004;78(5):659–667. doi:10.1002/jnr.20297Kanerva M, Jones S, Pitkaranta A.Ramsay Hunt syndrome: characteristics and patient self-assessed long-term facial palsy outcome.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020;277(4):1235–1245. doi:10.1007/s00405-020-05817-yNational Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (NORD).Ramsay Hunt syndrome.National Institutes of Health: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Bell’s palsy fact sheet.American Journal of Neuroradiology.Geniculate ganglion schwannoma.
Arístegui M, Martín-Oviedo C, Aristegui I, García-Leal R, Ruiz-Juretschke F.Anatomical variations of the intrapetrous portion of the facial nerve.Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2019;302(4):588–598. doi:10.1002/ar.23923
Farbman AI, Guagliardo N, Sollars SI, Hill DL.Each sensory nerve arising from the geniculate ganglion expresses a unique fingerprint of neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor genes.J Neurosci Res. 2004;78(5):659–667. doi:10.1002/jnr.20297
Kanerva M, Jones S, Pitkaranta A.Ramsay Hunt syndrome: characteristics and patient self-assessed long-term facial palsy outcome.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020;277(4):1235–1245. doi:10.1007/s00405-020-05817-y
National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (NORD).Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
National Institutes of Health: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Bell’s palsy fact sheet.
American Journal of Neuroradiology.Geniculate ganglion schwannoma.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
