Vidian nerve and the eustachian tube.
The vidian nerve was stimulated electrically in the dog and this resulted in a reduced patency of the Eustachian tube. The effect was atropine resistant. This physiological evidence in the dog corresponds to anatomical evidence in man of a parasympathetic, vasodilator nerve bundle passing through the vidian to the sphenopalatine ganglion and then via the pharyngeal nerve to the Eustachian tube mucosa. Additional parasympathetic routes to the tube may exist.
D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004285:Dogs; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000502:physiology; D009333:Neck / Q000294:innervation; D009666:Nose / Q000294:innervation; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology
D001285:Atropine