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Cranial Nerves:
Review Info

There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves.

Olfactory I
Optic II
Oculomotor III
Trochlear IV
Trigeminal V
Abducens VI
Facial VII
Auditory (vestibulocochlear) VIII
Glossopharyngeal IX
Vagus X
Spinal Accessory XI
Hypoglossal XII

To help memorize each, a mnemonic is often used by students such as . . .

"On Old Olympic Towering Tops A Finn And German Viewed Some Hops"
Cranial Nerve: Major Functions:
I Olfactory smell
II Optic vision
III Oculomotor eyelid and eyeball movement
IV Trochlear innervates superior oblique
turns eye downward and laterally
V Trigeminal chewing
face & mouth touch & pain
VI Abducens turns eye laterally
VII Facial controls most facial expressions
secretion of tears & saliva
taste
VIII Vestibulocochlear
(auditory) hearing
equillibrium sensation
IX Glossopharyngeal taste
senses carotid blood pressure
X Vagus senses aortic blood pressure
slows heart rate
stimulates digestive organs
taste
XI Spinal Accessory controls trapezius & sternocleidomastoid
controls swallowing movements
XII Hypoglossal controls tongue movements

Continue on to Quizzer #1. . .identify cranial nerve locations

Or go to Quizzer #2. . .identify cranial nerve functions
Or go to cranial foramina Quizzer. . .identify structures passing through
major cranial formamina

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Try These Links For Other Info & Images...

Cranial Nerve Dissection
...several views of cranial nerves in cadaver brain.

Cranial Nerve Pathways

...very good views of cranial nerve pathways in skull

Yale
...EXCELLENT drawings and descriptions of all cranial nerves...

Just the Basics

...good introductory descriptions & diagrams...

Cranial Nerves In Detail

...in depth material on cranial nerves with brief descriptions of how to test
function of each

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A Little Cranial Nerve Trivia...

Do you know . . .
Which cranial nerve is the largest?

Which cranial nerve is the only one that exits the "posterior" side of the
brainstem?

How many cranial nerves are responsible for eye movements?

What does "abducens" refer to?

Which cranial nerves carry gustatory (taste) information?

Which cranial nerve is the longest?

What two cranial nerves carry sensory information about blood pressure to the
brain?

Which cranial nerve is responsible for pupillary constriction?

Answers below.
Which cranial nerve is the largest?
CN V (Trigeminal)
Which cranial nerve is the only one that exits the "posterior" side of the
brainstem?
CN IV (Trochlear)
How many cranial nerves are responsible for eye movements?
Three: CN III (Oculomotor), IV (Trochlear), and VI (Abducens).
What does "abducens" refer to?
The abducens nerve carries motor impulses to the lateral rectus eye muscle which
moves the eye laterally causing abduction of the eye.
Which cranial nerves carry gustatory (taste) information?
CN VII (Facial), CN IX (Glossopharyngeal) and CN X (Vagus).
Which cranial nerve is the longest?
CN X (Vagus) which reaches from the medulla to the digestive and urinary organs.
What two cranial nerves carry sensory information about blood pressure to the
brain?
CN IX (Glossopharyngeal) and CN X (Vagus).
Which cranial nerve is responsible for pupillary constriction?
CN III (Oculomotor).

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WebSite images and text created and Copyright ©
J. Crimando Ph.D.
GateWay Community College; Phoenix, AZ
Originally created: Fall, 1997.
Last modified: Spring, 2005.
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