Cranial Nerves IX and X: The Glossopharyngeal and Vagus Nerves

Glossopharyngeal nerve lesions produce difficulty swallowing; impairment of taste over the posterior one-third of the tongue and palate; impaired sensation over the posterior one-third of the tongue, palate, and pharynx; an absent gag reflex; and dysfunction of the parotid gland.Vagus nerve lesions produce palatal and pharyngeal paralysis; laryngeal paralysis; and abnormalities of esophageal motility, gastric acid secretion, gallbladder emptying, and heart rate; and other autonomic dysfunction.See Section V, The Autonomic Nervous System, for detailed treatment of the autonomic functions of these nerves.