Cranial Nerves

Front 1

Cranial nerve 1

Back 1

Olfactory nerve, exits through cribriform plates in the ethmoid bone in anterior cranial fossa

Front 2

Cranial nerve 2

Back 2

Optic nerve, exits through the optic canal anterior to the hypophyseal fossa

Front 3

Cranial nerve 3

Back 3

Oculomotor nerve, exits through the superior orbital fissure lateral to the optic canal

Front 4

Cranial nerve 4

Back 4

Trochlear nerve, exits through the superior orbital fissure with the cranial nerve 3

Front 5

Cranial nerve 5

Back 5

Trigeminial nerve, has 3 branches

Opthalmic nerve exits in the superior orbital fissure

Mandibular nerve exits in the foramen ovale

Maxillary nerve exits in foramen rotundum, goes to pterygopalatine fossa, to inferior orbital fissure and exits in the orbit.Branches of the maxillary exit via the zygomatic-orbital foramen and infraorbital canal

Front 6

Cranial nerve 6

Back 6

Abducent nerve exits in the superior orbital fissure

Front 7

Cranial nerve 7

Back 7

Facial nerve, exits from internal acoustic meatus to the stylomastoid foramen

Front 8

Cranial nerve 8

Back 8

Vestibulocochlear nerve exits in the internal acoustic meatus, lateral to the jugular foramen

Front 9

Cranial nerve 9

Back 9

Glossopharyngeal nerve, exits in the jugular foramen

Front 10

Cranial nerve 10

Back 10

Vagus nerve, exits in the jugular foramen

Front 11

Cranial nerve 11

Back 11

Accessory nerve, exits in the jugular foramen anterio-lateral to the foramen magnum

Front 12

Cranial nerve 12

Back 12

Hypoglossal nerve, exits in the hypoglossal canal lateral to the foramen magnum