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Definition

noun, plural: ganglia

(1) (anatomy) A mass of nerve cell bodies outside the central nervous system.

(2) (neuroanatomy) A cluster of interconnecting nerve cells outside the brain.

(3) A benign cyst found on aponeurosis or tendon, usually at the wrist or dorsum of the foot.

Supplement

In vertebrates the ganglia are located outside the brain or spinal cord.

There are two major groups of ganglia:

• dorsal root ganglia
• autonomic ganglia

Word origin: From Greek, cystlike tumor, nerve bundle.
Related forms: ganglial (‘’adjective’’)

Related terms:

• otic ganglion
• meckels ganglion
• ganglion cell
• auricular ganglion
• tympanic ganglion
• terminal ganglion
• guddens ganglion