There are three cranial nerves that innervate the tongue; the vagus nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, and the facial nerve.
These peripheral processes have cell their cell body in either the superior or inferior glossopharyngeal ganglion.
The glossopharyngeal nerve as noted above is a mixed nerve consisting of both sensory and motor nerve fibers.
The facial nerve receives taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue; the glossopharyngeal from the posterior third.
At the base of the skull the glossopharyngeal, vagus, accessory, and hypoglossal nerves lie between the artery and the internal jugular vein.
Within the jugular foramen, there are two glossopharyngeal ganglia that contain nerve cell bodies that mediate general, visceral, and special sensation.
These cells are shown to synapse upon the glossopharyngeal nerves to send their signals to the brain.
The primary neural supply is from both the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves.
