Peripheral NS Flashcards
What is a nerve in the PNS?
A cordlike organ of the PNS consisting of a bundle of myelinated and nonmyelinated peripheral axons enclosed by connective tissue
What is the endoneurium?
Loose connective tissue that wraps around individual axons and their myelin or neurilemma sheaths.
What is the perineurium, and what does it do?
Coarse connective tissue that bundles nerve fibers into fascicles (groups of axons).
What is the epineurium?
The epineurium surrounds the fascicles and runs between the fascicular groups.
How are nerves classified based on impulse transmission?
Mixed nerves – Contain both sensory & motor fibers (impulses travel to and from CNS).
Sensory (afferent) nerves – Impulses only toward CNS (rarely pure).
Motor (efferent) nerves – Impulses only away from CNS (rarely pure).
What is the primary function of the olfactory nerve (CN I)?
Purely sensory (afferent)
Detects and transmits smell signals from nasal mucosa to the brain
Trace the pathway of the olfactory nerve (CN I).
Olfactory receptors in nasal mucosa →Olfactory bulb (synapse) →Olfactory tract → Primary olfactory cortex (temporal lobe).
What condition results from damage to CN I, and what causes it?
Anosmia (total/partial loss of smell).
Causes: Fracture of ethmoid bone. Lesions of olfactory fibers (e.g., trauma, infections, neurodegenerative diseases).
What is the primary function of the optic nerve (CN II)?
Purely sensory (afferent)
Transmits visual signals from the retina to the brain.
Describe the visual pathway involving CN II.
Retina → Optic nerve →Optic chiasm (partial decussation) → Optic tract →Thalamus (lateral geniculate nucleus) →Occipital cortex (visual processing).
What visual deficits occur from damage to CN II or its pathway?
Anopsia : Optic nerve damage Blindness in the affected eye.
- Beyond the chiasm (e.g., optic tract):
What are the motor and parasympathetic functions of CN III?
Motor: Innervates 4/6 extrinsic eye muscles (medial, superior/inferior rectus; inferior oblique).
Levator palpebrae (raises eyelid).
Parasympathetic: Constricts pupil (sphincter pupillae). Controls lens accommodation (ciliary muscle).
Where does CN III originate and travel?
Origin: Ventral midbrain (nuclei).
Exits skull: Superior orbital fissure → innervates eye muscles.
What are the signs of oculomotor nerve (CN III) palsy?
Eye deviation: “Down and out” (external strabismus) due to unopposed lateral rectus (CN VI) and superior oblique (CN IV).
Ptosis (drooping eyelid), has double vision and trouble focusing on close things
What is the primary function of the trochlear nerve (CN IV)?
Motor only. Innervates the superior oblique muscle (moves eye downward and laterally; intorsion)
What are the effects of trochlear nerve (CN IV) damage?
Diplopia (double vision):
Impaired inferolateral eye rotation
Describe the pathway of the trochlear nerve (CN IV).
Origin: Dorsal midbrain (trochlear nucleus)
Crosses midline before innervating the contralateral superior oblique muscle
Enters orbit via superior orbital fissure
What is the primary function of the abducens nerve (CN VI)?
Motor only
Innervates the lateral rectus muscle (abducts the eye)
Trace the pathway of the abducens nerve (CN VI).
Origin: Pons (abducens nucleus)
Exits skull: Superior orbital fissure
Innervates: Lateral rectus muscle
What happens in abducens nerve (CN VI) palsy?
Eye cannot abduct (move laterally)
Internal strabismus: Eye deviates medially at rest
What are the functions of the trigeminal nerve (CN V) divisions?
V1 (Ophthalmic): Sensory (forehead, cornea, nasal cavity)
V2 (Maxillary): Sensory (cheek, upper lip, maxillary teeth)
V3 (Mandibular):
Sensory: Lower jaw, tongue (general sensation)
Motor: Muscles of mastication (masseter, temporalis
Describe the trigeminal nerve (CN V) pathway.
fibers extends from pons to face
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
Excruciating stabbing pain. Triggered by mild stimuli (brushing teeth, breeze)
Cause: by a loop of artery or vein
that compresses the trigeminal nerve near its exit from the brain stem.
What are the motor, sensory, and parasympathetic functions of CN VII?
Motor: Controls facial expression (smiling, eye closure, blinking). dampens loud noises in inner ear.
Parasympathetic: Stimulates lacrimal (tear) and salivary glands (submandibular/sublingual).
Sensory: Taste from anterior 2/3 of tongue.