From the foramen lacerum, the nerve of the pterygoid canal passes through the pterygoid canal to reach the pterygopalatine fossa, ending at the pterygopalatine ganglion.

This combined nerve exits the foramen lacerum and travels to the pterygopalatine fossa through the pterygoid canal in the sphenoid.

The nerve of the pterygoid canal contains axons of both sympathetic and parasympathetic axons, specifically; The preganglionic parasympathetic axons synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion, which contains the postganglionic neurons which provide secretomotor innervation to the lacrimal gland, as well as the nasal and palatine glands.

The postganglionic sympathetic axons do not synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion, they travel on the branches of the maxillary nerve to provide sympathetic innervation to blood vessels.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 892 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)