The Cranial Nerves

The cranial nerves emerge directly from the brain, in contrast to spinal nerves, which emerge from segments of the spinal cord. In humans, there are TWELVE PAIRS of cranial nerves. The FIRST AND SECOND emerge from the cerebrum, the REMAINING TEN PAIRS emerge from the brainstem. Mnemonic for the nerves Oh, Oh, Oh, To Touch And Feel Vagina, God Vaginas Are Hot. Mnemonic for the type of nerve
Figure 1 The Cranial Nerves and their Distributions.

S= Sensory, M= Motor and B= Both (sensory + motor) Some Say Money Matters, But My Brother Says Big Boobs Matter More. Mnemonic for the foramina C= Cribriform plate (Olfactory), O= Optic canal, S= Superior orbital fissure (Oculomotor), S= superior orbital fissure (Trochlear), S= Superior orbital fissure (Trigeminal Ophthalmic), R= Foramen Rotundum (Trigeminal Maxillary), O= Foramen Ovale (Trigminal Mandibular), S= Superior orbital fissure (Abducens), I= Internal acoustic meatus (Facial), I= Internal acoustic meatus (Vestibulocochlear), J= Jugular foramen (Glossopharyngeal), J= Jugular foramen (Vagus), J= Jugular foramen (Accessory), H= Hypoglossal canal (Hypoglossal). Carl Only Swims South. Silly Roger Only Swims In Incredible Jacuzzis. Jane Just Hitchhikes.

Cranial Nerve
Olfactory (CNI) Telencephalon Optic (CNII) Diencephalon Oculomotor (CNIII) Anterior Aspect of Midbrain Trochlear (CNIV) Dorsal Aspect of Midbrain

Foramen
Skull: Cribriform Plate Skull: Optic Foramen Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure

Branches
Olfactory Filaments None

Type of Impulse
Special Sensory (afferent) Special Sensory (afferent) General Motor (efferent) Parasympathetic Motor

Nucleus Name
Anterior olfactory Lateral geniculate nucleus Oculomotor EdingerWestphal Trochlear

Nucleus Location
Olfactory tract Thalamus

Symptom/Signs of Damage
Anosmia Blindness

Function
Smell and nasal mucosa. Vision and retina.

Superior and Inferior Divisions

Midbrain Midbrain

Eye deviates down & out Loss of pupillary/accommodation reflexes Diplopia, lateral deviation of eye

Eye movement (elevation and adduction)

Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure

Muscular Branches

Motor (efferent)

Midbrain

Eye movement (Superior oblique muscle depression of adducted eye)

Cranial Nerve
Trigeminal (CNV) Pons

Foramen
Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure

Branches
Meningeal, Frontal, Lacrimal and Nasocilliary

Type of Impulse
General Motor (efferent) General Sensory (afferent)

Nucleus Name
Principal Spinal

Nucleus Location
Pons Medulla

Symptom/Signs of Damage
Facial aneasthesia Loss of pain sensation

Function
Sensation from dura, nasal mucosa and beneath eye, side of nose, cheek, lip, upper teeth, hard palate and mastication

Mesencephalic Pons/midbrain Insignificant Motor Pons Weakness/loss of mastication

Ophthalmic (CNV1)

Skull: Superior Meningeal, Orbital Fissure Frontal, Lacrimal Other: Supraorbital and Nasocilliary Foramen, Anterior and Posterior Ethmoidal Foramina Skull: Foramen Rotundum Other: Inferior Orbital Fissure, Infraorbital Foramen
Meningeal, Infraorbital, Posterior and Anterior Superior Alveolar Branches, Zygmoatic, Sensory Roots to Pterygopalantine Ganglion and Greater and Lesser Palantine

General Sensory (afferent)

Maxillary (CNV2)

General Sensory (afferent)

Mandibular (CNV3)

Skull: Foramen Ovale Other: Mandibular Foramen

Meningeal, Auriculotemporal, Buccal, Lingual and Inferior Alveolar

General Sensory (afferent) General Motor (efferent)

Figure 2 Sensory branches of Trigeminal nerve.

Cranial Nerve
Abducens (CNVI) Anterior Margin of Pons Facial (CNVII) Pons (cerebellopontine angle) above olive

Foramen
Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure

Branches
Muscular Branches

Type of Impulse
General Motor (efferent)

Nucleus Name
Abducens

Nucleus Location
Pons

Symptom/Signs of Damage

Function

Medial eye deviation Eye movement (lateral rectus) (Abduction)

Skull: Internal Auditory Meatus Other: Facial Canal, Hiatus of Facial Canal, Stylomastoid Foramen Internal acoustic canal facial canal stylomastoid foramen. Skull: Internal Auditory Meatus via internal acoustic canal.

Greater Petrosal Nerve, Chorda Tympani (Auricular Branch), Facial Branches and Cervical Branches

Special and General Sensory (afferent) General and Parasympathetic Motor (efferent)

Motor Solitary Superior salivatory

Pons Pons Pons

Paralysis of facial nerve muscles Loss of taste (anterior 2/3rds of tongue) Dry mouth, loss of lacrimation

Facial expresssion Taste Salivation, lacrimation

Vestibulocochlear (CN VIII) Lateral to CNVII (cerebellopontine angle)

None

General Sensory (afferent)

Vestibular

Medulla

Dysequilibrium, Nystagmus Hearing Loss of taste (posterior 1/3rd) Insignificant

Balance

Cochlear Muscular Branches, Auricular Branch, Lingual Branch, Branch to Carotid Body and Sinus, Tympanic Branch and Lesser Petrosal General and Special Sensory (afferent) General and Parasympathetic Motor (efferent) Nucleus ambiguus Inferior salivary Solitary

Medulla Medulla

Hearing Taste

Glossopharyngeal Skull: Jugular Foramen (CN IX) Medulla

Medulla

Salivation

Medulla

Loss of gag reflex

Innervation of pharynx, sensation from carotid and aortic bodies and carotid and aortic sinuses.

Cranial Nerve

Foramen

Branches
Palatopharyngeal Branch, Superior Laryngeal Branch, Recurrent Laryngeal Branch, Carotid Sinus Nerve, Cardiac, Pulmonary, Gastric, Renal, Hepatic, Pancreatic, Small Intestine and Large Intestine Branches Muscular Branches

Type of Impulse
Sensory (afferent) Motor (efferent)

Nucleus Name
Nucleus ambiguus Dorsal motor vagal Solitary

Nucleus Location
Medulla

Symptom/Signs of Damage
Dysphagia & hoarseness of voice

Function
Swallowing & talking (palatoglossus)

Skull: Jugular Vagus (X) Foramen Posterolateral Sulcus of Medulla

Medulla Insignificant Cardiac, GI tract, Medulla Loss of cough reflex (larynx/pharynx), loss of taste (hard palate) Respiration, taste, sensation from carotid and aortic bodies and carotid and aortic sinuses.

Cranial Accessory (XI) Spinal accessory Cranial and Spinal Roots Hypoglossal (XII) Medulla

Skull: Jugular Foramen Other: Foramen Magnum

Motor (efferent)

Nucleus ambiguus Spinal accessory

Medulla

Insignificant

Pharynx/larynx muscles. Cranial branch overlaps with vagal functions. Neck & shoulder movement Tongue movement, except palatoglossus.

Cervical cord

Head turning/shoulder shrugging weakness Atrophy of tongue muscles, deviation on protrusion, fasciculaations

Skull: Hypoglossal Foramen via hypoglossal canal

Muscular Branches

General Motor (efferent)

Hypoglossal

Medulla

Anatomy of the Cranial Nerves

Figure 3 Olfactory Nerve (CN I) passing through cribriform plate of ethmoid bone

Figure 4 Optic Nerve (CN II).

Figure 5 Oculomotor Nerve (CN III).

Figure 7 Trigeminal Nerve and its branches

Figure 6 Trochlear Nerve (CN IV).

Anatomy of the Cranial Nerves

Figure 8 Abducens Nerve (CNVI).

Figure 9 Facial Nerve (CNVII).

Figure 10 Vestibulocochlear Nerve (CN VIII)

Anatomy of the Cranial Nerves

Figure 11 Glossopharyngeal Nerve and branches (CN IX)

Figure 12 Vagus Nerve (CN X).

Anatomy of the Cranial Nerves

Figure 13 Accessory Nerve with Cranial (joins Vagus) and Spinal branches. The cranial branch is often considered part of the vagus, while the spinal branch is considered the accessory nerve (CN XI) proper.

Figure 14 Hypoglossal Nerve (CN XII).