XXXVII The Nervus Terminalis

Terminal nerve in the mouse‐eared bat (Myotis myotis): Ontogenetic aspects

“…The data of this investigation confirm the high variability of the terminal nerve (Huber and Guild, 1913;McCotter, 1913McCotter, , 1915Brookover, 1914Brookover, , 1917Johnston, 1914;Larsell, 1918Larsell, , 1950Humphrey, 1940;Pearson, 1941;Sinclair, 1951aSinclair, , 1951bSinclair, , 1951cBojsen-Møller, 1975;Cooper and Bhatnagar, 1976;Brown, 1980Brown, , 1987Haymaker et al, 1982;Wirsig, 1985;Buhl and Oelschlä ger, 1986;Leonard, 1986a, 1986b;Jastrow, 1995), including the fact that the TN may be unilateral (Jastrow et al, 1998). Analysis of many ontogenetic stages shows a concentration of neurons in some ganglia and along fiber bundles and the persistence of a considerable number of TN neurons up to the adult mouse-eared bat.…”

“…From now on, it can be distinguished more easily from neighboring connective tissue due to the increasing concentration of neurons. Because this ganglion is located in the developing dura mater and arachnoidea, it is referred to as the meningeal ganglion (M), which corresponds to the anterior or rostral TN ganglion in the literature (e.g., Larsell, 1918Larsell, , 1950Grü -neberg, 1973). The thin but distinct fiber bundle connecting the ganglia N and M is called the main fiber bundle (mfb) of the terminal nerve since it is much thicker than TN fiber bundles running in the submucosa of the middle and lower nasal septum.…”

“…Free TN endings in and immediately beneath the mucosa of the nasal septum and in the vomeronasal organ were interpreted as part of a general visceroafferent system consisting of uni-and bipolar neurons (Huber and Guild, 1913;Larsell, 1918Larsell, , 1950Stewart, 1920;Simonetta, 1932;Simonetta and Magnoni, 1939;Pearson, 1941). Allen (1936) assumed that TN neurons are receptive to stimuli other than those adequate for trigeminal nerve terminals.…”

“…The swelling of the nasal mucosa in correlation with air flow and composition is certainly influenced by free endings of the TN in the submucosa that may detect odorants or irritating agents and quickly mediate a reaction via efferent TN fibers (perhaps of the same perikaryon in a nasal ganglion) to relevant glands and vessels (Holmgren, 1920;Larsell, 1950;Graziadei, 1976). Potential vasomotor fibers terminating at smooth muscle cells of the tunica media of blood vessels were demonstrated by Larsell (1950) and are also seen along vessels of the septal mucosa and the anterior brain (Oelschlä ger, 1988).…”

“…Potential vasomotor fibers terminating at smooth muscle cells of the tunica media of blood vessels were demonstrated by Larsell (1950) and are also seen along vessels of the septal mucosa and the anterior brain (Oelschlä ger, 1988). Haymaker et al (1982) therefore suggest the involvement of the TN also in the cyclic swelling of the nasal mucosa.…”