FUNCTIONS: special sensory (taste), sensory, motor and parasympathetic

The glossopharyngeal nerve is responsible for conveying taste from the posterior one third of the tongue. It supplies sensory innervation to the pharyngeal mucosa, palatine tonsil, posterior one third of the tongue, auditory tube, middle ear, carotid sinus and carotid body. The only muscle innervated by CN IX is the stylopharyngeus muscle. The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies parasympathetic innervation to the parotid gland. CN IX passes through the JUGULAR FORAMEN to exit the skull.