Cranial Nerves

Question 1

Edinger-Westphal nucleus

Answer 1

Component: GVE
Nerve: 3
Function: pupil small, lens fattens
Location: midbrain

Question 2

Oculomotor nucleus

Answer 2

Component: GSE
Nerve: 3
Function: motor to extraocular muscles
Location: midbrain

Question 3

Trochlear nucleus

Answer 3

Component: GSE
Nerve: 4
Function: motor to superior oblique
Location: midbrain

Question 4

Motor nucleus of 5

Answer 4

Component: SVE
Nerve: 5
Function: motor to muscles of mastication
Location: pons

Question 5

Abducens nucleus

Answer 5

Component: GSE
Nerve: 6
Function: motor to lateral rectus
Location: pons (medial sup)

Question 6

Superior salivatory nucleus

Answer 6

Component: GVE
Nerve: 7
Function: motor/secretory to lacrimal, sublingual, submandibular glands
Location: pons (lateral sup)

Question 7

Facial nucleus

Answer 7

Component: SVE
Nerve: 7
Function: muscles of facial expression
Location: pons (lateral inf)

Question 8

Inferior salivatory nucleus

Answer 8

Component: GVE
Nerve: 9
Function: motor to parotid
Location: pons (medial inf)

Question 9

Hypoglossal nucleus

Answer 9

Component: GSE
Nerve: 12
Function: motor to tongue muscles
Location: medulla

Question 10

Dorsal motor nucleus

Answer 10

Component: GVE
Nerve: 10
Function: motor to thorax and abdomen
Location: medulla

Question 11

Nucleus ambiguus

Answer 11

Component: SVE
Nerves: 10 and 9 (ONLY ONE WITH TWO NERVES)
Function: motor to larynx (10) and stylopharyngeus (9)
Location: medulla

Question 12

Spinal accessory nucleus

Answer 12

Component: SVE
Nerve: 11
Function: motor to trapezius and SCM
Location: caudal medulla

Question 13

Mesencephalic nucleus

Answer 13

Component: GSA
Nerve: 5
Function: jaw-jerk reflex
Location: midbrain

Question 14

Main sensory nucleus (V)

Answer 14

Component: GSA
Nerve: 5
Function: relays position, vibration, and 2-point discrimination for head
Location: pons

Question 15

Cochlear/vestibular nucleus

Answer 15

Component: SSA
Nerve: 8
Function: hearing
Location: pons

Question 16

Spinal nucleus of V

Answer 16

Component: GSA
Nerve: 5
Function: relays pain and temp for head and via 7, 9, 10 for ear pinna (similar to nucleus proprius)
Location: caudal medulla to pons

Question 17

Nucleus of solitary tract

Answer 17

Components: SVA and GVA
Nerves: 7, 9, 10 (for taste) and 7 (for palate-deep sensation) 9 (palate and carotid sinus) and 10 (abdominal viscera stretching)
Function: taste, deep palate sensation and pain and stretching of viscera/aortic baroreceptors

Question 18

How are cranial nerve nuclei arranged in the brainstem?

Answer 18

Motor nuclei are near the midline, sensory are more lateral

Question 19

Route of optic nerve

Answer 19

communicates with lateral geniculate and superior colliculus then synapses on occipital cortex (area 17)
(optic radiations are the fibers that run from lateral geniculate to area 17)

Question 20

What is the only nerve to come from the dorsal brainstem?

Answer 20

CN 4 (Trochlear)

Question 21

Name of upper motor neurons that synapse on cranial motor nuclei

Answer 21

corticobulbar fibers

Question 22

What is a lower motor neuron?

Answer 22

goes from nucleus to muscle

Question 23

Golfball on a tee in caudal midbrain?

Answer 23

Golfball = inferior colliculus
Tee = lateral lemniscus

Question 24

Nuclei of CN V

Answer 24

mesencephalic, principle sensory, motor nucleus, spinal nucleus

Question 25

What kind of cells are found in trigeminal ganglion?

Answer 25

pseudo unipolar

Question 26

Where do trigeminothalamic fibers end up? And what info do they relay?

Answer 26

VPM not VPL | relay pain, temp, proprioception

Question 27

Why is upper face spared with a stroke?

Answer 27

Because upper motor neurons project bilaterally to lower motor neurons destined for upper face (why lower motor neuron lesion is more devastating)

Question 28

Cochlear nuclei are saddlebags over what structure?

Answer 28

The ICP (inferior cerebellar peduncles) in the medulla