Detailed Anatomy of the Cranial Cervical Ganglion in the Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius)

Abstract

The detailed morphology and topography of the cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) with its surrounding structures were studied in 10 sides of five heads of adult one-humped camel to determine its general arrangement as well as its differences and similarities to other animals. The following detailed descriptions were obtained: (1) the bilateral CCG was constantly present caudal to cranial base at the rostroventral border of the occipital condyle over the caudolateral part of nasopharynx; (2) the CCG was always in close relations medially with the longus capitis muscle, rostrolaterally with the internal carotid artery, and caudally with the vagus nerve; and (3) the branches of the CCG were the internal carotid and external carotid nerves, jugular nerve, cervical interganglionic branch, laryngopharyngeal branch, carotid sinus branch and communicating branches to the vagus, and first spinal nerves. In conclusion, there was no variation regarding topography of dromedary CCG among the specimens, in spite of typical variations in number, and mainly in origin of nerve branches ramifying from the CCG. In comparative anatomy aspect, the close constant relations, and presence of major nerves (internal/external carotid and jugular nerves) of dromedary CCG exhibited a typical reported animal's pattern. However, the shape, structures lateral to the CCG, the origin and course pattern of external carotid and jugular nerves, the number of the major nerves branches, the communicating branches of the CCG to the spinal and cranial nerves, and the separation of most rostral parts of vagosympathetic trunk of dromedary were different from those of most reported animals.

Developmental Morphology and Topography of the Components of the Cervical Sympathetic Trunk in Sheep (Ovis aries) During the Fetal Period

“…In this study, bilateral CCG was constantly noted in all specimens which is concordant with findings of all reported anatomical studies in the adults and fetuses of animals and humans (Hara et al, ; Pospieszny and Bruzewicz, ; Kawashima, ; Kawashima and Sato, ; Nourinezhad et al, ).…”

“…According to them, in the youngest fetuses the CCG was constantly located near the base of the skull, whereas in the older fetuses the CCG tended to be slightly more caudally at the level of the CV1, which is found in the adult pig (Kabak et al, ). In this study, such a positional decent of the CCG was not observed and the CCG was located slightly caudal to the cranial base, almost similar to that noted in the 2–3 months old lambs (Appleton and Waites, ) and dromedary camels and bovines (Nourinezhad et al, ). These reasons may be recognized as the skeletotopical differences between the fetal sheep and fetal humans; nevertheless, it remains unclear why the CCG in the fetal pig tends to be positioned slightly caudal.…”

“…Skeletotopical characteristics of the CCG in the fetal sheep, including in the relationship with the tympanic bulla and jugular process, resemble those reported by Appleton and Waites () in 2–3 months old lambs, and Nourinezhad et al () in dromedary camels and bovines.…”

“…Because of the similarity of its size and development rate to those of the human fetus, the sheep fetus has been the animal model of choice for research on cardiac development, fetal physiology and fetal surgery (Morel et al, ) and because no information dealing with fetal development of the CST in this species has been reported, the present investigation was undertaken to ascertain a detailed developmental, topographical and morphological characteristics of the bilateral CST, paravertebral ganglia, and communicating branches in the fetal sheep during different gestational ages by gross dissection methods and using a stereomicroscope. The study is along with our investigations regarding cervical and thoracic sympathetic trunk and ganglia in the fetal sheep (Nourinezhad et al, ), bovines (Nourinezhad et al, ), and dromedary camels (Nourinezhad et al, ).…”

“…The lateral surface of the CCG was covered by the occipitohyoid muscle in the 2–3‐month lambs (Appleton and Waites, ), by the caudal stylopharyngeus muscle in the bovines (Nourinezhad et al, ), and by the mandibular salivary gland in Bactrian camels (Cui‐Sheng et al, ) and donkeys (Özgel et al, ), or by the digastric muscle in the dromedary (Nourinezhad et al ). In this study, the CCG was covered laterally by both the mandibular salivary gland and digastricus muscle.…”