Cranial Nerves

Cranial Nerves
 Special Sense Nerves
 I,II,VIII
 Somatic Motor Nerves
Eye—III,IV,VI
Tongue--XII

 “Rest of body” nerves

 IX,X,XI
 Face and jaws
 VII, V

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

  Head I: Skull—a framework to hang on
 Overall organization of skull
 Base of the skull—the hard part
 Developmental view
 Cranial nerves out (to “targets”)
 Head II: Throat targets
 Head III: Special Sense targets
 Head IV: Cranial nerves in depth

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

 Nerve “targets” in head
 SENSORY  MOTOR
Special General Muscles Glands
Smell skin eyes salivary
Vision teeth extrinsic sweat
Hearing eye intrinsic lacrimal
tongue
jaws mucous
oral cavity
facial expression
nasal cavity
larynx
middle ear
tongue
throat
meninges
throat
ear

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

 Base of the skull—cranial nerves out
 Ethmoid (olfactory)
I. Olfactory
 Sphenoid (optic)
II. Optic
III. Oculomotor
IV. Trochlear
VI. Abducens
 Temporal (otic)
VII. Acoustic/Auditory/
Vestibulocochlear
 Face/Jaws
V. Trigeminal
VII. Facial
 Throat (rest of body)
IX Glossopharyngeal
X. Vagus
XI. Spinal Accessory
Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves XII. Hypoglosal
Cranial nerves
Cranial nerves
 Special Sense Nerves
NERVE TARGET EXIT FROM
CRANIAL CAVITY
I. Olfactory Olfactory Cribiform plate
epithelium (ethmoid)
II. Optic Retina Optic canal
(sphenoid)
VIII. Auditory Inner ear Internal auditory
meatus (temporal)

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

 M&M, Table 14.3

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

 Somatic Motor Nerves
(eye muscles and tongue)
NERVE TARGET EXIT CR. CAVITY
IV. Trochlear Superior oblique m. Sup. Orbital fissure
(with trochlea) (sphenoid)
VI. Abducens Lateral rectus “
III. Oculomotor •Sup.,med.,inf.rectus “
(Also parasympathetic • Inferior Oblique
to ciliary mm, constrictor
pupillae) •Levator palpebrae
superioris
XII. Hypoglossal Intrinsic, extrinsic Hypoglossal canal
mm. of tongue (occipital)

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
Cranial nerves
Cranial nerves
 “Rest of body” nerves
(all exit from jugular foramen)
NERVE TARGET

X: Vagus  Somatic motor to larynx/pharynx

 Parasympathetic to most of gut
 Taste to back posterior pharynx
XI: (Spinal)  Motor to traps,
Accesory sternocleidomastoid
IX: Glosso-  Sensory to carotid body/sinus
pharyngeal  Taste to posterior tongue
 Sensory to ear opening/middle
ear
 Parotid salivary gland

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
VII: Facial Nerve
(exits cranial cavity with VIII--internal auditory meatus)

 Facial muscles (five branches fan out over face from

stylomastoid foramen)
 Temporal
 Zygomatic
 Buccal
 Mandibular
 Cervical
 “chorda tympani” (crosses interior ear drum to join V3 )
 Taste to anterior 2/3 of tongue
 Submandibular, sublingual salivary glands
 Lacrimal glands

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
 V: Trigeminal (3 nerves in 1!)
 V1. Ophthalmic
 Exits with eye muscle group (superior orbital fissure, through orbit to
superior orbital notch/foramina)
 Sensory to forehead, nasal cavity
 V2. Maxillary
 Exits foramen rotundum through wall of maxillary sinus to inferior
orbital foramina)
 Sensory to cheek, upper lip, teeth, nasal cavity
 V3. Mandibular
 Exits foramen ovale to mandibular foramen to mental foramen
 Motor to jaw muscles--Masseter, temporalis, pterygoids, digastric
 Sensory to chin
 Sensory to tongue

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves

Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
Human Anatomy, Frolich, Head/Neck IV: Cranial Nerves
Cranial Nerves
 I: Olfactory
 II: Optic
 III: Oculomotor
 IV: Trochlear
 V: Trigeminal
 VI: Abducens
 VII: Facial
 VIII:Vestibulocochlear
 Acoustic
 IX: Glossopharyngeal
 X: Vagus
 XI: Accessory
 XII: Hypoglossal

http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/class/bio201/cn/cranial.htm
Mnemonic
 On  Fin
 Old  And
 Olympus’  German
 Tower  Viewed
 Top  A
 A  Hop
MNEMONIC
 OLFACTORY  OH
 OPTIC  ONCE
 OCULOMOTOR  ONE
 TROCHLEAR  TAKES
 TRIGEMINAL  THE
 ABDUCENS  ANATOMY
 FACIAL  FINAL
 VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR  VERY
 GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL  GOOD
 VAGUS  VACATION
 ACCESSORY  A-HEAD
 HYPOGLOSSAL
CN I: OLFACTORY
 Cranial nerve I
 Function:
 smell
 Clinical test for
damage:
 determine whether
a person can smell
something aromatic
CN II: OPTIC
 Cranial nerve II
 Function:
 vision
 Clinical test for
damage:
 tests peripheral vision
and visual acuity
 Effects of damage:
 blindness in part or all
of the visual field
CNIII: OCULOMOTOR
 Cranial nerve III
 Function:
 eye movements, opening of

eyelid, constriction of pupil,

focusing, proprioception
 Clinical tests for injury:
 differences in pupil size;

pupillary response to light; eye

tracking
 Effects of damage
 dropping eyelid, dilated pupil,

double vision
 CNIV: TROCHLEAR
 Cranial nerve IV
 Function: eye movements
and proprioception
 Clinical test for injury: ability
to rotate eye inferolaterally
 Effects of damage – double
vision, patient tilts head
toward affected side
CN V: TRIGEMINAL
 Cranial nerve V
 Function: sensory nerve of the
face
 Clinical test for injury:
 corneal reflex; sense of

touch, pain, and

temperature; clench teeth;
move mandible side to side
 Effects of damage:
 loss of sensation and

impaired chewing
CN VI: ABDUCENS AND CN
VII: FACIAL
 Cranial Nerve VI  Cranial Nerve VII
 Function: Eye  Function: facial
movements expression; sense of
 Clinical test: lateral eye taste
movement  Clinical test: motor
 Effects of damage: functions – close eyes,
inability to rotate eye smile, whistle, frown,
laterally; at rest – eye raise eyebrows; taste
rotates medially  Effects of damage:
because of action of inability to control
antagonistic muscles facial muscles;
distorted sense of taste
CN VIII:
VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR
 Cranial Nerve VIII
 Function: hearing and equilibrium
 Clinical tests: test hearing, balance, and
ability to walk a straight line
 Effects of damage: deafness, dizziness,
nausea, loss of balance, and nystagmus
 CN IX: GLOSSOPHARANGEAL
AND CN X: VAGUS
 Cranial Nerve IX
 Function: swallowing,
salivation, gagging; touch,
pressure, taste, and pain
sensations from tongue,
pharynx, and outer ear
 Clinical tests: gag reflex,
swallowing, and coughing
 Effects of damage:
difficulty swallowing
 Cranial Nerve X
 Function: swallowing; taste;
speech; respiratory, CV, and
GI regulation; sensations of
hunger, fullness, and
intestinal discomfort
 Clinical tests: test with
cranial nerve IX
 Effects of damage:
hoarseness or loss of voice;
impaired swallowing and GI
motility
 CN XI: ACCESSORY AND
CN XII: HYPOGLOSSAL
 Cranial Nerve XI
 Function: swallowing; head,
neck, and shoulder
movements
 Clinical tests: rotate head
and shrug shoulders against
resistance
 Effects of damage: impaired
movement of head, neck,
and shoulders; paralysis of
sternocleidomastoid
 Cranial Nerve XII
 Function: tongue movements
of speech, food
manipulation, and
swallowing
 Clinical test: tongue function
 Effects of damage: difficulty
in speech and swallowing;
atrophy of tongue; inability
to stick out (protrude)
tongue