Figure 1.

Anatomical organization of the peripheral gustatory system and the first central synaptic relay, the nucleus of the solitary tract. The chorda tympani nerve (green) innervates taste buds in fungiform papillae on the anterior tongue and the anterior foliate papillae on the posterior tongue. The greater superficial petrosal nerve (red) innervates taste buds on the soft palate, the geschmacksstreifen (GS), and the nasoincisor duct in the palate. The cell bodies of the chorda tympani and the greater superficial petrosal nerves are in the geniculate ganglia, which is located within the tympanic bulla. The glossopharyngeal nerve (blue) innervates the circumvallate papilla and the posterior foliate papillae, both on the posterior tongue. The cell bodies of the glossopharyngeal nerve are located in the petrosal ganglion, located on the medial edge of the tympani bulla. All three nerves form terminal fields in the ipsilateral nucleus of the solitary tract.