Trigeminal ganglion

The trigeminal ganglion, named after the descriptor Johann Lorenz Gasser, an Austrian anatomist (1723-1765), trigeminal ganglion as or semilunar ganglion called, is a sensitive ganglion ( " ganglion " ) of the fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve.

The trigeminal ganglion is located inside of the petrous pyramid. In it are the nerve cell bodies of the afferent neurons of the fifth cranial nerve, which represent pseudounipolar nerve cells different Myelinisierungsgrades. The trigeminal ganglion corresponds to the dorsal root ganglion of a spinal nerve. The blood vessel is supplied by the middle meningeal artery accessoria.

Of importance is the ganglion esp. in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, because with the elimination of the corresponding nerves - today mostly by percutaneous thermocoagulation - often a significant pain relief can be achieved. This is possible because the pain-conducting C- fibers are less myelinated and thus can be easily turned off. In short anesthesia ganglion is identified and exposed to targeted thermal stimuli, whereby the C- fibers perish and pain transmission is interrupted.

• Cranial nerve
• Ganglion
• Trigeminal