Cranial nerve anatomy

Question 1

Where do the optic nerves leave the orbit to get into the cranial cavity?

Answer 1

Optic canal

Question 2

How do the olfactory nerves get into the cranial cavity?

Answer 2

They emerge from the nasal cavity as a number of short branches and transverse the cribrifrom plate and terminate in the olfactory bulbs.

Question 3

What three cranial nerves leave the cranial cavity through the superior orbital fissure?

Answer 3

Occulomotor
Trochlear
Abducens

Question 4

How do the occulomotor nerves reach the superior orbital fissure?

Answer 4

They travel in the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus

Question 5

How dose the abducens nerve reach the superior orbital fissure?

Answer 5

passes through the cavity of the cavernous sinus

Question 6

Where does the opthalmic divison of the trigeminal nerve leave the cranium?

Answer 6

Superior orbital fissure

Question 7

What does the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve leave the cranium?

Answer 7

Foramen rotundum

Question 8

Where does the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve leave the cranium?

Answer 8

Foramen ovale

Question 9

Where does the motor root of trigeminal nerve leave the cranium?

Answer 9

Foramen ovale

Question 10

How does the facial nerve enter the cranial cavity?

Answer 10

Via the internal acoustic meatus

Question 11

How does the vestibulocochlea nerve leave the cranial cavity?

Answer 11

The internal acoustic meatus

Question 12

What three nerves leave the cranial cavity via the jugular foramen to enter the carotid sheath?

Answer 12

Vagus
Glossopharyngeal
Spinal accessory

Question 13

How does the hypoglossal nerve leave the cranial cavity?

Answer 13

The hypoglossal canal

Question 14

What two nerves are contained within the petrous part of the temporal bone?

Answer 14

Facial

Vestibulocochlear

Question 15

What nerve gives sensory supply to the superior parts of the EAM?

Answer 15

CN V3

Question 16

What nerve gives sensory supply to the inferior parts of the EAM?

Answer 16

Vagus

Question 17

What spinal nerves give most general sensory nerve supply to the skin of the external ear?

Answer 17

Spinal nerve C2, 3

Question 18

What nerve gives sensory supply to the external surface of the tympanic membrane?

Answer 18

Trigeminal (auriculotemporal branch of V3)

Question 19

What nerve gives general sensory supply to the internal surface of the tympanic membrane?

Answer 19

Glossopharyngeal

Question 20

What nerve gives sensory supply the middle ear cavity, the eustachian tube, nasopharynx, oropharynx and the tonsils

Answer 20

Glossopharyneal

Question 21

What nerve gives sensory supply to the laryngopharynx?

Answer 21

Vagus nerve

Question 22

What nerve gives sensory supply to the naso/oro pharynx?

Answer 22

Glossopharyngeal (CN IX)

Question 23

Where do the facial nerve and the vestibulocochlear nerve connect with the brainstem?

Answer 23

The junction between the pons and the medulla oblongatat

Question 24

Where do the vestibular nerve axons arise from?

Answer 24

Semicircular ducts, utricle and sacule

Question 25

Where do the the cochlear nerve axons arise from?

Answer 25

The cochlea

Question 26

Where does the facial nerve goes after it leaves the cranial cavity through the internal accoustic meatus?

Answer 26

The facial canal in petrous temporal bone and then exits via the stylomastoid foramen.

Question 27

What does the facial canal connect?

Answer 27

The internal acoustic meatus and the stylomastoid foramen

Question 28

What two branches does the facial nerve give off in the petrous temporal bone?

Answer 28

The chorda tympani

The nerve that supplies the stapedius muscle

Question 29

What does the chorda tympani supply?

Answer 29

• taste buds of the anterior 2/3rds of the tongue
• parasympathetic supply to the submandibular & sublingual salivary glands (salivation)

Question 30

What nerve supplies the tensor tympani muscle?

Answer 30

CN V3

Question 31

Describe what happens to the facial nerve once it leave through the stylomastoid foramen?

Answer 31

Emerges at the parotid gland and divides on the gland into the somatic motor branches for the muscles of facial expression