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The anterior ethmoidal nerve is a nerve of the nose. It is a branch of the nasociliary nerve, itself a branch of the ophthalmic nerve. It provides sensory innervation to some structures around the nasal cavity.
The anterior ethmoidal nerve is a terminal branch of the nasociliary nerve, a branch of the ophthalmic nerve , itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve. It branches near the medial wall of the orbit. The anterior ethmoidal nerve arises only after the nasociliary has given off its four branches.
It travels through the anterior ethmoidal foramen to reach the anterior cranial fossa. It then moves forward and passes through the cribriform plate to enter the nasal cavity. It gives off branches to the roof of the nasal cavity, and bifurcates into a lateral internal nasal branch and medial internal nasal branch. It sends sensory fibers to the anterior ethmoid air cells and the middle ethmoidal air cells.
The anterior ethmoidal nerve then continues into the cranial cavity at the side of the cribiform plate of the ethmoid bone. It gives sensory fibers to the meninges. It then enters the nasal cavity via the nasal slit. Within the nose, it gives sensory fibers to the anterior part of the nasal septum.