Cranial Nerves

Cranial Nerves
• Sensory- CN 1,2,8
• Motor- CN 3,4,6,11,12
• Mixed or both- CN 10,9,7,5
 SOMATIC Motor and Brachiomotor
Nuclei
• axons of nerve cells situated within the brain
• innervate striated muscle
• nerve cell with its processes is referred to as a
lower motor neuron
• equivalent to the motor cells in the anterior
gray columns of the SC
• receive impulses from the cerebral cortex
through the corticonuclear (corticobulbar)
fibers
 SOMATIC Motor and Brachiomotor
Nuclei
• fibers originate from the pyramidal cells in the
inferior part of the precentral gyrus (area 4)
• fibers descend through the corona radiata and
the genu of the internal capsule
• end by synapsing either directly with the
lower motor neurons within the cranial nerve
nuclei or indirectly through the internuncial
neurons
 SOMATIC Motor and Brachiomotor
Nuclei
• N1- corticonuclear fibers (pyramidal cells of
precentral gyrus)
• N2- internuncial neuron (interneurons)
• N3- lower motor neuron (within the cranial
nerve nuclei ) or somatic motor itself
 Corticonuclear fibers to the motor
cranial nerve nuclei
• Bilateral connections are present for all the
cranial motor nuclei except
• facial nucleus- supplies the muscles of the
lower part of the face and hypoglossal
nucleus- supplies the genioglossus muscle
 General VISCERAL Motor Nuclei
• cranial outflow of the parasympathetic
portion of the autonomic nervous system
• Edinger-Westphal nucleus : CN3
• superior salivatory and lacrimal nuclei : CN7
• inferior salivatory nucleus : CN9
• dorsal motor nucleus- CN10
• receive numerous afferent fibers, including
descending pathways from the hypothalamus
 Sensory Nuclei of the Cranial Nerves
• include somatic and visceral afferent nuclei
• axons of nerve cells outside the brain and are
situated in ganglia on the nerve trunks or may
be situated in a sensory organ
 Sensory Nuclei of the Cranial Nerves
• N1- cells and processes at ganglia, nerve trunk
or sensory organs
• N2- enter the brain and terminate by
synapsing with cells forming the sensory
nuclei
• N3- ascend to other sensory nuclei, such as
the thalamus, where they synapse and axons
terminate in the cerebral cortex
CN1- Olfactory (Sensory)
Located at the inferior surface of frontal lobe

Central processes
Peripheral processes
 CN1- Olfactory (Sensory)
• Olfactory nerve cells- bipolar
• Olfactory bulb and tract
• CRIBRIFORM PLATE OF ETHMOID BONE
• Anterior perforated substance
• Medial olfactory striae- opposite side
• Lateral olfactory striae- primary olfactory
cortex
Primary Olfactory Secondary Olfactory
Cortex Cortex

• Periamygdaloid • Related to limbic

area and system
prepiriform area (parahippocampus)
• House by the uncus • Entorrhinal area
(area 28)
 Olfactory Pathway

Don’t synapse
with thalamus N2- mitral cells

N1- olfactory nerve cells

CN2- Optic (Sensory)
Connects rods
and cones
Optic disc and optic canal
Nasal (medial) half of retina- opposite side
Temporal (lateral) half- same side
CN3- Oculomotor (Motor)
Ciliary muscles
CN4- Trochlear (Motor)
CN6- Abducens (Motor)
CN5- Trigeminal (Mixed)
 proprioception

Touch and pressure

Pain and temperature

Semilunar
ganglion
 Trigeminal nerve pathway
• N1- trigeminal ganglion in medial cranial fossa
• N2- 4 nucleus of trigeminal nerve
• N3- thalamus
CN7- Facial (Mixed)
Upper part
 Sensation of taste
• N1- geniculate ganglion
• N2- nucleus of tractus solitarius (upper part)
• N3- thalamus
CN8- Vestibulocochlear (Sensory)
 N2

N1

Utricle, saccule,
semicircular canals
N2

N2

N1
CN9- Glossopharyngeal (Mixed)
Auriculotemporal nerve
 N2

N2
Lower part

N2

N1

N1

Nucleus ambiguus
CN10- Vagus (Mixed)
 N2

N1

N1
CN11- Accessory (Motor)
C1 to C5
CN12- Hypoglossal (Motor)