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Abstract
The glossopharyngeal nerve and the vagus nerve are mixed nerves containing sensory,
gustatory, motor and autonomous fibers (parasympathetic). The glossopharyngeal nerve
has mainly visceral afferent fibers from the tongue and pharynx, gustatory fibers
from the posterior third of the tongue, parasympathetic afferent fibers from carotid
sinus and carotid glomus, parasympathetic efferent fibers for the parotid gland and
motor fibers for the muscles of the pharynx. The vagus nerve contains mostly visceral
afferent fibers from laryngeal, intrathoracic and abdominal organs, parasympathetic
efferent fibers for these intrathoracic and abdominal organs and motor fibers to the
pharyngeal and laryngeal muscles. The accessory nerve is divided into two branches,
different in their origins and their functions: the cranial portion joins the motor
fibers of the vagus nerve, to form the recurrent laryngeal nerve, whereas the spinal
portion innervates the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the trapezius muscle. Finally,
the hypoglossal nerve is the main motor nerve of the tongue.