Cranial Nerves

Front 1

geniculocalcarine tract

Back 1

optic radiation; fancy name for projection of lateral geniculate cells to the primary visual cortex in the calcarine fissure.

Front 2

primary visual cortex location

Back 2

calcarine fissure in occipital lobe

Front 3

C.N. I

Back 3

Olfactory nerve; sensory nerves are in nasal mucosa, course to olfactory bulb through cribiform plate. Olfactory bulb cells then project to olfactory cortex (not to thalamus!) SENSORY ONLY

Front 4

C.N. II

Back 4

Optic Nerve; SENSORY ONLY
-Retina sensory receptors
-Enter skull via optic foramen
-Optic chiasm crossover
-Optic tract to lateral geniculate body of thalamus;
Project as optic radiation to primary visual cortex in calcarine fissure of occipital lobe.

Front 5

C.N. III

Back 5

Occulomotor; MOTOR ONLY
goes anteriorly from midbrain through superior orbital fissure to innervate 4 muscles of eye; superior, inferior and medial rectus, and inferior oblique.
-Delivers preganglionic autonomic fibers to ciliary ganglion

Front 6

C.N. IV

Back 6

Trochlear; MOTOR ONLY;
from dorsal midbrain, goes anteriorly to pass through superior orbital fissure to innervate one extraocular muscle, superior oblique.

Front 7

trigeminal nerve branches

Back 7

opthalmic - sensory
maxillary - sensory
mandibular - mixed

Front 8

C.N. V

Back 8

Trigeminal Nerve

Front 9

levator palpabrae innervation

Back 9

ciliary ganglion from occulomotor nerve and occulomotor c.n. III

Front 10

Opthalmic Branch of C.N. V

Back 10

V1
origin: upper face
passes through: superior orbital fissure
goes to the pons

Front 11

Maxillary nerve

Back 11

C.N. V2 (2nd branch)
Sensory: inferior eyelid and down to maxilla.
Passes through foramen rotunda;
Sensory info to trigeminal ganglia, ultimately pons.

Front 12

Mandibular branch

Back 12

C.N. V3
MIXED NERVE
sensory info: from lower jaw/face;
passes through foramen ovale to trigeminal ganglia;
motor info: from trigeminal ganglia through foramen ovale to motor jaw muscles of mastication.

Front 13

C.N. VI

Back 13

Abducens nerve.
Motor Only; innervates lateral rectus, extraocular eye muscle.
Origin: below trigeminal nerve from lower pons.
Passes through: superior orbital fissure

Front 14

C.N. VII

Back 14

Facial Nerve
-both sensory and motor!
origin: pons
sensory: senses taste from anterior 2/3 of tongue
motor: innervates facial expression muscles.
Goes through: internal acoustic meatus

Front 15

C.N. VIII

Back 15

Acoustic nerve, aka Vestibulocochlear
sensory only: senses hearing and equilibrium info in cochlea, semicircular canals, takes it to pons.
Goes through: internal acoustic meatus
relays audition impulses to medial geniculate body on thalamus, auditory cortex in temporal lobe.

Front 16

ciliary ganglion

Back 16

receives parasympathetic fibers from edinger-westphal nucleus in midbrain;
upon synapse here, ciliary nerves innervate intrinsic ciliary eye muscles and levator palpabrae, eyelid opener.
branch of occulomotor nerve III

Front 17

C.N. IX

Back 17

Glossopharyngeal
Both Sensory/Motor
Sensory: taste info from posterior 1/3 of tongue;
Motor: innervates pharynx muscles
Origin: Medulla
goes through: jugular foramen

Front 18

C.N. X

Back 18

Vagus Nerve
both Sensory and Motor
Sensory: info from neck, thorax, abdomen
Motor: innervates palate/pharynx/larynx
Goes through: jugular foramen

Front 19

C.N. XI

Back 19

Spinal Accessory
Motor only
Innervates pharynx/larynx/neck/trapezius muscles.
goes through: jugular foramen
Cranial Component: medulla
Spinal Component: upper cervic. rootlets

Front 20

C.N. XII

Back 20

Hypoglossal nerve
Motor only
origin: medulla
innervates: tongue muscles