Abnormal glossopharyngeal nerve morphology

What it means

Any structural anomaly of the glossopharyngeal nerve, the ninth paired cranial nerve (CN IX).

The glossopharyngeal nerve originates in the medulla oblongata. It Innervates the oropharynx, carotid body and sinus, as well as the posterior third of the tongue (where it mediates taste sensation), the middle ear cavity and the Eustachian tube. Additionally, it innervates the stylopharyngeus muscle of the pharynx.

Rare diseases that can present with this3

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Abnormality of glossopharyngeal nerve