It enters the foramen lacerum, where it joins the deep petrosal nerve ( a sympathetic nerve ) to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal, which passes through the pterygoid canal to reach the pterygopalatine ganglion.
12.
Some of the preganglionic fibers travel along the greater petrosal nerve through the pterygoid canal ( where they join the postsynaptic fibers of the deep petrosal nerve and are called the Vidian nerve ) and synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion, whereupon the postganglionic, postsynaptic, efferent fibers travel to innervate the lacrimal gland and the mucosal glands of the nose, palate, and pharynx.
