<p>I have a question that I hope some of you may be able to clarify for me.</p>
<p>I have been taught that dorsal root ganglia are analogous to cranial nerve ganglia except that dorsal root ganglion is located in the spinal cord vs. cranial nerve ganglion is located in the skull and is associated with a cranial nerve instead of spinal nerve. Now, what I am confused about and need clarification for is that if the terminology dictate that ganglia are outside the CNS, that is inside the PNS, and nuclei are inside the CNS and not in the PNS, why do we call cranial nerve ganglia ganglia instead of nuclei? Are these two used interchangeably, or am I missing something here?</p>
<p>Are cranial nerve ganglia and cranial nerve nuclei different?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T14:24:57.357Z
Have you googled "cranial nerve ganglia"? Where are they located?
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T16:32:30.170Z
Hello Bryan, 

yes I have. The CNG are located in the brain stem.
TheMatureNeuro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T16:53:19.763Z
According to which source?
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T17:07:51.813Z
Correction "The CG are located along the roots of cranial nerves V (trigeminal), VII (facial), IX (glossopharyngeal), and X (vagus) as they enter the brain stem" . Nuclei are located in the brainstem, however ganglia such as trigeminal ganglion are located outside and in this specific case, superficially to the temporal bone.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080450469006999
TheMatureNeuro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T18:03:40.630Z
That statement does not say the ganglia are in the brain stem.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T18:20:10.557Z
Yes, that is why I said Correction. I have corrected myself.
TheMatureNeuro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T19:13:25.960Z
Gotcha - does that answer the question then?
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T19:30:21.837Z
Yes it does. Thank you.
TheMatureNeuro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T21:44:21.040Z
If what you found answered your question, maybe you coukd formulate an answer with your sources.  You are free to answer your own questions on here. You could then get some reputation ranking on here from that
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-04-08T22:24:17.257Z
Excellent suggestion. I will do that.
TheMatureNeuro
<neuroscience><neuroanatomy><neuropsychology>
Cranial nerve ganglion, or Cranial nerve nucleus?
TheMatureNeuro
# Cranial nerve ganglion, or Cranial nerve nucleus?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-04-08)

I have a question that I hope some of you may be able to clarify for me.

I have been taught that dorsal root ganglia are analogous to cranial nerve ganglia except that dorsal root ganglion is located in the spinal cord vs. cranial nerve ganglion is located in the skull and is associated with a cranial nerve instead of spinal nerve. Now, what I am confused about and need clarification for is that if the terminology dictate that ganglia are outside the CNS, that is inside the PNS, and nuclei are inside the CNS and not in the PNS, why do we call cranial nerve ganglia ganglia instead of nuclei? Are these two used interchangeably, or am I missing something here?

Are cranial nerve ganglia and cranial nerve nuclei different?

**Tags:** neuroscience, neuroanatomy, neuropsychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Have you googled "cranial nerve ganglia"? Where are they located?  
> **username_0**: Hello Bryan,   yes I have. The CNG are located in the brain stem.  
> **username_1**: According to which source?  
> **username_0**: Correction "The CG are located along the roots of cranial nerves V (trigeminal), VII (facial), IX (glossopharyngeal), and X (vagus) as they enter the brain stem" . Nuclei are located in the brainstem, however ganglia such as trigeminal ganglion are located outside and in this specific case, superficially to the temporal bone.  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080450469006999  
> **username_1**: That statement does not say the ganglia are in the brain stem.  
> **username_0**: Yes, that is why I said Correction. I have corrected myself.  
> **username_1**: Gotcha - does that answer the question then?  
> **username_0**: Yes it does. Thank you.  
> **username_2**: If what you found answered your question, maybe you coukd formulate an answer with your sources.  You are free to answer your own questions on here. You could then get some reputation ranking on here from that  
> **username_0**: Excellent suggestion. I will do that.  

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