Vestibular ganglion
Details
Identifiers
Latinganglion vestibulare,
ganglion Scarpae
NeuroNames495
TA98A14.2.01.123
TA26309
FMA53435
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The vestibular ganglion (also Scarpa's ganglion) is a collection of cell bodies belonging to first order sensory neurons of the vestibular nerve. It is located within the internal auditory canal.[1][2][3]

Anatomy

Surrounding Structure

The superior and inferior divisions of the vestibular nerve meet at the ganglion. Thereon, the fibers of second-order neurons of the vestibular nerve merge with those of the cochlear nerve (whose first-order neurons have already synapsed at the spiral ganglion) to proceed towards the CNS as a single unified vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII).[1][3][4]

Internal Structure

The ganglion contains the cell bodies of bipolar neurons whose peripheral processes form synaptic contact with hair cells of the vestibular sensory end organs.[2] These include hair cells of the cristae ampullaris of the semicircular duct, and the maculae of the utricle and saccule.[1][3]

Development

As with the entirety of the inner ear organs and associated sensory organs, the vestibular ganglion is established from a sole embryonic source, the otic placode and is formed during neurogenesis. The formation of the surrounding structures of the vestibular ganglion is a critical part of neurogenesis as the auditory and vestibular neurons segregate into the medial spiral ganglion and a lateral vestibular ganglion. Much is still not known about how auditory and vestibular neurons differentiate from each other both in terms of time and dimension, however, some studies suggest that they start to diverge very early, before or soon after they turn on a gene called Neurog1.[5]

By the time gestation ends and birth occurs, the ganglion is already close to its final size.[6]

Etymology

It is named for Italian anatomist and surgeon, Antonio Scarpa due to his work in outlining and detailing the anatomy of the structure alongside surrounding structures of inner ear in his 1789 note “De structura fenestrae rotundae auris, et de tympano secundario”[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Sinnatamby CS (2011). "Chapter 7: Central Nervous System: Summary of Cranial Nerves". Last's Anatomy Regional and Applied (12th ed.). Elsevier. p. 498. ISBN 978-0-7295-3752-0. OCLC 1391240616.
  2. ^ a b Ramachandran VS (2002). Encyclopedia of the Human Brain. San Diego, Calif: Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-227210-3.
  3. ^ a b c Khan S, Chang R (2013-05-21). Greenwald BD, Gurley JM (eds.). "Anatomy of the vestibular system: a review". NeuroRehabilitation. 32 (3): 437–443. doi:10.3233/NRE-130866. PMID 23648598.
  4. ^ Vasković J (3 November 2023). Grujičić R (ed.). "Vestibular system". Kenhub. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  5. ^ Pavlinkova G (December 2020). "Molecular Aspects of the Development and Function of Auditory Neurons". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22 (1): 131. doi:10.3390/ijms22010131. PMC 7796308. PMID 33374462.
  6. ^ Sato H, Sando I, Takahashi H (September 1992). "Three-dimensional anatomy of human Scarpa's ganglion". The Laryngoscope. 102 (9): 1056–1063. doi:10.1288/00005537-199209000-00018. PMID 1518353.
  7. ^ Jucker-Kupper P. "Antonio Scarpa". whonamedit.com.
  8. ^ Scarpa A (1785). Anatomicarum Annotationum. 2 volumes (2nd ed.). Milano.

External links


The cranial nerves
Physiology of balance and hearing
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