Which structure functions as the dorsal root ganglion for the face?

• A. Dorsal Root Ganglion of Spinal Nerves
• B. Trigeminal Ganglion
• C. Superior Ganglion
• D. Inferior Ganglion

Answer: (B)

The face’s somatic sensation is carried by the trigeminal nerve, and its sensory cell bodies reside in the trigeminal ganglion (also called the semilunar or Gasserian ganglion). This ganglion functions like the dorsal root ganglion for the face because it is a peripheral sensory ganglion containing the cell bodies of pseudounipolar neurons that convey touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the face. The central processes of these neurons enter the brainstem at the pons and synapse in the trigeminal sensory nucleus, while the peripheral processes reach the face through the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve: ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular. The trigeminal ganglion is located in Meckel's cave near the petrous temporal bone. This setup is distinct from dorsal root ganglia of spinal nerves, which handle body sensation, and from other cranial nerve ganglia that serve different regions.