W1: Cranial nerves Flashcards
(110 cards)
Order
Olfactory Optic OculomotorTrochlear Trigeminal Abducens Facial Vestibulocochlear GlossopharyngealVagus Accessory Hypoglossal
Mnemonic for sensory, motor or both
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Which cranial nerves are not organised in the brainstem?
CN1 and CN2 → originate in the forebrain
What is a cranial nerve nucleus?
A collection of neurons in the brainstem that is associated with one or more cranial nerves
What does the sulcus limitans do?
Separates the cranial nerve motor nuclei (medial) from sensory nuclei (lateral)
Which cranial nerves are found laterally in the brainstem?
Sensory
Which cranial nerves are found medially in the brainstem?
Motor
What are the sensory cranial nerve nuclei?
Trigeminal sensory nucleus Vestibular nucleus and cochlear nucleus Nucleus solitarius

Describe the trigeminal sensory nucleus?
- large → runs the length of the brainstem - carry general sensory information (touch, pressure, pain, temperature) from the head enter through the trigeminal nerve
Describe the vestibular and cochlear nuclei
- termination of fibres conveying the special senses of motion/positional sense and hearing - from the vestibulocochlear nerve
What terminates in the nucleus solitarius?
visceral afferents, including taste fibres
What three groups can motor cranial nerve nuclei be divided into?
- nuclei of the somatic efferent cell column (near the midline)- nuclei of the branchiomotor cell column (furthest out)- nuclei of the parasympathetic cell column

What are the nuclei of the somatic efferent cell column?
- Oculomotor nucleus - Trochlear nucleus - Abducens nucleus - Hypoglossal nucleus

What are the nuclei of the branchiomotor cell column?
Trigeminal motor nucleus Facial motor nucleus Nucleus ambiguus

What are the nuclei of the parasympathetic cell column?
- Edinger-Westphal nucleus - Superior and inferior salivary nuclei- Dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus
Draw the nuclei
OneNote - under anatomy

Describe the oculomotor nucleus
Efferents run in the oculomotor nerve to innervate the EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLES (levator palpebrae, superioris muscle, superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus and inferior oblique) except the superior oblique and the lateral rectus
Describe the trochlear nucleus
fibres leave in the trochlear nerve and innervate the superior oblique muscle of the eye
Describe the abducens nucleus
efferent run in the abducens nerve and innervate the lateral rectus muscle
Describe the hypoglossal nucleus
innervates the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue via the hypoglossal nerve
What does the branchiomotor cell column innervate?
Striated muscles derived from the embryonic branchial (pharyngeal) arches
Describe the trigeminal motor nucleus
supplies fibres to the trigeminal nerve and innervates muscles of mastication, tensor tympani etc
Describe the facial motor nucleus
innervates the muscles of facial expression and the stapedius muscle via the facial nerve
Describe the nucleus ambiguus
Motor fibres to the glossopharyngeal, vagus and cranial part of the accessory nerve to innervate muscles of the pharynx and larynx