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Cranial Nerves Flashcards

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1
Q

Name all the cranial nerves
“Over on old towering top, a fine Victorian gentleman viewed a hawk”

A

CN I = Olfactory
CN II = Optic
CN III = Oculomotor
CN IV = Trochlear
CN V = Trigeminal
CN VI = Abducens
CN VII = Facial
CN VIII = Vestibulocochlear
CN IX = Glossopharyngeal
CN X = Vagus
CN XI = Accessory
CN XII = Hypoglossal

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2
Q

State whether each nerve is sensory, motor or both
“Some say marry money but my brother says big brains matter more”

A

CN I = sensory
CN II = sensory
CN III = motor
CN IV = motor
CN V = both (sensory + motor)
CN VI = motor
CN VII = both (sensory + motor)
CN VIII = sensory
CN IX = both (sensory + motor)
CN X = both (sensory + motor)
CN XI = motor
CN XII = motor

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3
Q

What structures are innervated by the olfactory nerve?

A

Olfactory epithelium

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4
Q

What is the function of the olfactory nerve?

A

Olfaction

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5
Q

Where does the olfactory nerve enter/exit in the skull and brain?

A

Skull - cribriform plate
Brain - anterior perforated substance

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6
Q

What structures are innervated by the optic nerve?

A

retina

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7
Q

What is the function of the optic nerve?

A

Vision; pupillary light reflex

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8
Q

Where does the optic nerve enter/exit the skull?

A

Optic canal

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9
Q

What structures are innervated by the oculomotor nerve?

A

motor - Superior, inferior and middle rectus muscles
Inferior oblique muscle
levator palpebrae superioris muscle

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10
Q

What is the function of the oculomotor nerve?

A

motor - movement of the eyeball and elevation of the upper eyelid

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11
Q

Where is the entry/exit point for the oculomotor nerve in the skull?

A

Superior orbital fissure

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12
Q

What structures are innervated by the trochlear nerve?

A

superior oblique muscle

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13
Q

What is the function of the trochlear nerve?

A

movement of eyeball - down and out

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14
Q

Where does the trochlear nerve enter/exit the skull?

A

superior orbital fissure

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15
Q

Where are the central connections for the trochlear nerve?

A

trochlear nucleus

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16
Q

Where are the central connections for the olfactory nerve?

A

olfactory bulb

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17
Q

Where are the central connections for the optic nerve?

A

lateral geniculate nucleus
pretectal nucleus

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18
Q

Where are the central connections for the oculomotor nerve?

A

motor - oculomotor nucleus

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19
Q

What structures are innervated by the trigeminal nerve?

A

motor - muscles of mastication, tensor tympani

sensory - face, scalp, cornea, nasal and oral cavities, cranial dura mater

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20
Q

What is the function of the trigeminal nerve?

A

sensory - general sensation (pain, temperature, touch)

motor - opening and closing the mouth, chewing

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21
Q

Where does the trigeminal nerve enter/exit the skull?

A

opthalmic division = superior orbital fissure
maxillary division = foramen rotundum
mandibular division = foramen ovale

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22
Q

Where are the central connections for the trigeminal nerve?

A

sensory = trigeminal sensory nucleus
motor = trigeminal motor nucleus

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23
Q

What structures are innervated by the abducens nerve?

A

lateral rectus muscle

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24
Q

What is the function of the abducens nerve?

A

movement of the eyeball - abduct the eye (rotate gaze away from the midline)

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25
Where is the entry/exit point for the abducens nerve in the skull?
superior orbital fissure
26
Where are the central connections for the abducens nerve?
abducens nucleus
27
What structures are innervated by the facial nerve?
sensory - anterior two thirds of the tongue motor - muscles of facial expression
28
What is the function of the facial nerve?
sensory - taste motor - facial movement
29
What structures are innervated by the vestibulocochlear nerve?
vestibular apparatus, cochlea
30
What is the function of the vestibulocochlear nerve?
vestibular sensation (position and movement of the head), hearing
31
Where are the central connections for the facial nerve?
sensory - nucleus solitarius motor - facial nucleus
32
Where is the entry/exit point on the skull for the facial nerve?
enters via internal acoustic meatus exits via stylomastoid foramen
33
Where are the central connections for the vestibulocochlear nerve?
vestibular nuclei and cochlear nuclei
34
Where does the vestibulocochlear nerve enter/exit the skull?
internal acoustic meatus
35
What structures are innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve?
sensory - pharynx, posterior third of tongue, middle ear, carotid body, carotid sinus motor - stylopharyngeus muscle
36
What is the function of the glossopharyngeal nerve?
sensory - general sensation, taste, chemoreception and baroreception motor - swallowing
37
Where are the central connections for the glossopharyngeal nerve?
sensory - trigeminal sensory nucleus, nucleus solitarius motor - nucleus ambiguus
38
Where does the glossopharyngeal nerve enter/exit on the skull?
jugular foramen
39
What structures are innervated by the vagus nerve?
sensory - pharynx, larynx, trachea, oesophagus, external ear motor - soft palate, pharynx, larynx, upper oesophagus
40
What is the function of the vagus nerve?
sensory - general sensation motor - speech, swallowing
41
Where are the central connections for the vagus nerve?
sensory - trigeminal sensory nucleus, nucleus solitarius motor - nucleus ambiguus
42
Where is the entry/exit point for the vagus nerve on the skull?
jugular foramen
43
What structures are innervated by the accessory nerve?
sternomastoid and trapezius muscles
44
What is the function of the accessory nerve?
movement of the head and shoulder
45
Where are the central connections for the accessory nerve?
spinal cord
46
Where is the entry/exit point on the skull for the accessory nerve?
jugular foramen
47
What structures are innervated by the hypoglossal nerve?
intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue
48
What is the function of the hypoglossal nerve?
movement of the tongue
49
Where are the central connections for the hypoglossal nerve?
hypoglossal nucleus
50
Where is the entry/exit point for the hypoglossal nerve in the skull?
hypoglossal canal
51
Which two cranial nerves attach directly to the forebrain?
CN I and CN II
52
Which cranial nerves arise from the midbrain?
CN III and CN IV
53
Which cranial nerves arise from the pons?
CN V - CN VIII
54
Which cranial nerves arise from the medulla?
CN IX - CN XII
55
Clinical link - outline Bells palsy
Acute unilateral inflammation of the facial nerve (lower motor neuron). If caused by herpes zoster (virus that also causes shingles), a vesicular rash is present in the external auditory canal and on the oropharynx
56
What are the signs/symptoms of bells palsy?
Symptoms (unilateral - on one side): - pain behind the ear - paralysis of the facial muscles and failure to close eye on one side so the face appears to droop Signs (unilateral - on one side): - absent corneal reflex - hyperacusis (certain sounds heard unpleasantly loud) - loss of taste on the anterior two thirds of the tongue
57
What is hyperacusis?
Certain sounds are heard unpleasantly loud
58
Clinical link - outline bublar palsy (lower motor neuron palsy)
Set of conditions caused by impairment of the functions of the cranial nerves which arise from the medulla (CN IX, CN X, CN XI, CN XII)
59
What are the signs and symptoms of bulbar palsy?
Symptoms: - dysphagia = difficulty swallowing - slurring of speech - dysphonia = difficulty forming sounds - excess saliva (dribbling) Signs: - wasting and fasciculations in the tongue - absent gag reflex
60
What can cause bulbar palsy?
degenerative conditions such as MND (ALS) and Guillain-Barre syndrome brainstem strokes and tumours
61
What is pseudobulbar palsy?
bilateral upper motor neuron palsy - shares symptoms with bulbar palsy but this is often characterised by atypical expression of emotion (eg: outbursts of laughing or crying) - emotions usually unaffected in bulbar palsy
62
What causes pseudobulbar palsy?
Pseudobulbar palsy can be caused by a variety of pathological conditions including trauma, neurological disease (Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, etc), metabolic, vascular or tumor. Any condition which affects the corticobulbar tracts bilaterally will result in a pseudobulbar palsy.
63
Clinical link - outline central pontine myelinolysis
Destruction of myelin in the pons - occurs when low sodium levels (hyponatremia) are corrected too quickly
64
What are the symptoms of central pontine myelinolysis?
confusion balance problems dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) hallucinations reduced consciousness slurred speech tremor and weakness in the face or limbs

Neuroanatomy (15 decks)

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