Question

A 29 year old baseball player whose head is hit by a high speed baseball is brought to an emergency room. Physical examination and radiogram reveal fracture of the temporal bone and damage to the lesser petrosal nerve. Which of the following conditions could occur as a result of injury to the lesser petrosal nerve?

A. Lack of lacrimal secretion
B. Lack of submandibular gland secretion
C. Lack of parotid gland secretion
D. Constriction of the pupil
E. Ptosis of the upper eyelid

Answer 1

C. Lack of parotid gland secretion

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the scenario being described within the question it can be said that this injury could cause a lack of parotid gland secretion. This is because parasympathetic preganglionic fibers that exist within the lesser petrosal nerve go into the otic ganglion, here they start to synapse which causes posterior parasympathetic fibers to join the auriculotemporal nerve which therefore supply the parotid gland for secretion of saliva. Which may otherwise not happen if the petrosal nerve is damaged.