The Cranial Nerves

SHANDONG UNIVERSITY
Liu Zhiyu
 Names of Cranial Nerves
Olfactory nerve
Optic nerve
Oculomotor nerve
Trochlear nerve
Trigeminal nerve
Abducent nerve
Facial nerve
Vestibulocochlear nerve
Glossopharyngeal nerve
Vagus nerve
Accessory nerve
Hypoglossal nerve
I Olfactory (oh)
II Optic (oh)
III Oculomotor (oh)
IV Trochlear (to)
V Trigeminal (1-3) (touch)
VI Abducens (and)
VII Facial (feel)
VIII Vestibulocochlear (very)
IX Glossopharyngeal (good)
X Vagus (velvet)
XI Accessory (ah)
XII Hypoglossal (heaven)
 How to Remember CN I-XII

Oh! Oh! Oh! To Touch And Feel

Very Good Velvet! Ah Heaven!
 Functional Components
General somatic afferent fibers (GSA): transmit
exteroceptive and proprioceptive impulses from head
and face to somatic sensory nuclei
Special somatic afferent fibers (SSA): transmit
sensory impulses from special sense organs of vision,
equilibrium and hearing to the brain
General visceral afferent fibers (GVA): transmit
interoceptive impulses from the viscera to the visceral
sensory nuclei
Special visceral afferent fibers (SVA): transmit
sensory impulses from special sense organs of smell
and taste to the brain
 Functional Components
General somatic efferent fibers (GSE): innervate
skeletal muscles of eye and tongue
Special visceral efferent fibers (SVE): transmit motor
impulses from the brain to skeletal muscles derived from
brachial (gill) arches of embryo. These include the
muscles of mastication, facial expression and swallowing
General visceral efferent fibers (GVE): transmit motor
impulses from the general visceral motor nuclei and
relayed in parasympathetic ganglions. The
postganglionic fibers supply cardiac musclessmooth
muscles and glands
 Classification of Cranial Nerves
Sensory cranial nerves: are composed entirely of afferent
(sensory) nerve fibers bringing sensations the brain
Olfactory nerve
Optic nerve
Vestibulocochlear nerve
Motor cranial nerves: are composed entirely of efferent (motor)
fibers
Oculomotor nerve
Trochlear nerve
Abducent nerve
Accessory nerve
Hypoglossal nerve
Mixed cranial nerves: possess both sensory and motor fibers---
Trigeminal nerve,
Facial nerve,
Glossopharyngeal nerve
Vagus nerve
Olfactory Nerve
 Olfactory Nerve

Olfactory cells (SVA) Cribriform foramina Olfactory bulb

 Optic Nerve
Ganglion cells (SSA) Optic canal Lateral geniculate body
 Vestibulocochlear Nerve
Vestibular ganglion(SSA) Vestibular nuclei
Internal acoustic meatus
Cochlear ganglion (SSA) Cochlear nuclei
 Sensory Cranial Nerves
N. Location of cell Cranial Terminal Main action
body and axon exit nuclei
categories
Olfactory cells (SVA) Cribrifom Olfactory bulb Smell
foramina
Ganglion cells (SSA) Optic Lateral Vision
canal geniculate
body
Vestibular Internal Vestibular Equilibrium
ganglion(SSA) acoustic nuclei
meatus
Cochlear ganglion Cochlear nuclei Hearing
(SSA)
Motor Cranial Nerves
Superior orbital fissure

Hypoglossal canal


Jugular foramen

 Oculomotor Nerve
Components
General somatic efferent fibers (GSE)

General visceral efferent fibers (GVE)

Main actionsupplies
Superior, inferior and medial recti; inferior obliquus; levator palpebrae
superioris
Sphincter pupillea and ciliary muscle

Ciliary ganglion : lies between optic nerve and lateral rectus

Oculomotor nerve
Abducent Nerve

Abducent nerve
 Trochlear n.

Oculomotor n.

Abducent n.
 Accessory Nerve
Cranial roots
Originate from nucleus ambiguus
Join the spinal roots to exit the
jugular foramen
Join the vagus nerve and distribute
to the muscles of pharynx and
larynx
Spinal roots
Originate from nucleus of
accessory nerve
Ascend through the foramen
magnum and exit the cranium
through the jugular foramen
Innervate the sternocleidomastoid
and trapezius muscles
 Hypoglossal Nerve
Nucleus of hypoglossal
Hypoglossal canal Muscles of tongue
nerve( GSE)

Hypoglossal nerve
 Motor Cranial Nerves
N. Nucleus of origin and Cranial exit Main action
axon categories
Nucleus of oculomotor Superior Motot to superior, inferior and
nerve (GSE) orbital fissure medial recti; inferior obliquus;
levator palpebrae superioris
Accessory nucleus of Parasympathetic to sphincter
oculomotor nerve (GVE) pupillea and ciliary muscles

Nucleus of trochlear Superior Motor to superior obliquus

nerve (GSE) orbital fissure
Nucleus of abducent Superior Motor to lateral rectus
nerve (GSE) orbital fissure
Nucleus ambiguus Jugular Motor to sternocleidomastoid
(cranial root, SVE) foramen and trapezius
Nucleus of accessory
nerve (spinal root, SVE)
Nucleus of hypoglossal Hypoglossal Motot to muscles of tongue
nerve( GSE) canal
Mixed Cranial Nerves
 Trigeminal Nerve ()

Components of fibers
SVE fibers: originate from
motor nucleus of trigeminal
nerve, and supply masticatory
muscles
GSA fibers: transmit facial
sensation to sensory nuclei of
trigeminal nerve, the GSA
fibers have their cell bodies in
trigeminal ganglion, which lies
on the apex of petrous part of
temporal bone
 Trigeminal Nerve ()
Ophthalmic nerve (1, sensory)
Leave the skull through the superior orbital
fissure, to enter orbital cavity
Branches
Frontal nerve
Supratrochlear nerve
Supraorbital nerve
Lacrimal nerve
Nasociliary nerve
 Trigeminal Nerve ()
Ophthalmic nerve
Branches
Frontal nerve

Lacrimal nerve

Nasociliary nerve

Distribution
Sensation from cerebral dura mater

Visual organ

Mucosa of nose

Skin above the eye and back of nose

 Trigeminal Nerve ()
Maxillary nerve (2, sensory)
Leave skull through foramen rotundum
Branches
Infraorbital nerve

Superior alveolar nerve

Zygomatic nerve

Pterygopalatine nerve
 Trigeminal Nerve ()
Maxillary nerve
Branches
Infraorbital nerve

Superior alveolar nerve

Zygomatic nerve

Pterygopalatine nerve

Distribution
Sensation from cerebral dura mater

Maxillary teeth and gum

Mucosa of nose, mouth and maxillary

sinus
Skin between eye and mouth
 Trigeminal Nerve ()
Mandibular nerve (3, mixed)
Leave the skull through the foramen ovale
to enter the infratemporal fossa
Branches
Auriculotemporal nerve

Buccal nerve

Lingual nerve

Inferior alveolar nerve

Nerve of masticatory muscles

 Trigeminal Nerve ()
Mandibular nerve
Distribution
Sensation from cerebral dura mater

Teeth and gum of lower jaw

Mucosa of anterior 2/3 of tongue and

floor of mouth
Skin of auricular and temporal

regions and below the mouth

Motor to masticatory muscles,
mylohyoid, and anterior belly of
digastric
 Facial Nerve ()
Components of fibers
SVE fibers originate from nucleus of facial nerve, and supply facial
muscles
GVE fibers derived from superior salivatory nucleus and relayed in
pterygopalatine ganglion and submandibular ganglion. The
postganglionic fibers supply lacrimal, submandibular and sublingual
glands
SVA fibers from taste buds of anterior two-thirds of tongue which cell
bodies are in the geniculate ganglion and end by synapsing with
cells of nucleus of solitary tract
GSA fibers from skin of external ear
 Facial Nerve ()

Course:
Exits the brain stem through
the bulbopontine sulcus
Leaves the skull through
internal acoustic meatus, facial
canal and stylomastoid
foramen, it then enters parotid
gland where it divides into five
branches which supply facial
muscles
 Facial Nerve ()

Branches within the facial canal

Chorda tympani: joins lingual branch
of mandibular nerve
SVA fiber to taste buds on anterior
two-thirds of tongue
GVE fibers relayed in
submandibular ganglion, the
postganglionic fibers supply
submandibular and sublingual
glands
 Facial Nerve ()
Greater petrosal nerve : GVE fibers pass to pterygopalatine ganglion
and there relayed through the zygomatic and lacrimal nerves to lacrimal
gland
Stapedial nerve : to stapedius

Pterygopalatine ganglion
 Facial Nerve ()

Pterygopalatine ganglion:
lies in pterygopalatine fossa
under maxillary nerve
Submandibular ganglion: lies
between lingual nerve and
submandibular gland
 Facial Nerve ()

Branches outside of facial canal

Temporal
Zygomatic
Buccal
Marginal mandibular
Cervical
 Glossopharyngeal Nerve ()
Components of fibers
SVE fibers: originate from nucleus ambiguus, and supply
stylopharygeus which elevates the pharynx during swallowing and
talking
GVE fibers: arise from inferior salivatory nucleus and relayed in otic
ganglion, the postganglionic fibers supply parotid gland
GVA fibers: visceral sensation from mucosa of posterior third of
tongue, pharynx, auditory tube and tympanic cavity, carotid sinus and
glomus, and end by synapsing with caudal part of nucleus of solitary
tract
SVA fibers: arise from the cells of inferior ganglion, the central
processes of these cells terminate in rostral part of nucleus of solitary
tract, the peripheral processes supply the taste buds on posterior third
of tongue
GSA fibers: The cell bodies are located in the superior ganglion. The
central process carry impulse from skin of posterior surface of auricle to
spinal nucleus of trigeminal n.
 Glossopharyngeal Nerve ()
Course:
Exits the brain stem through the retroolivary sulcus
leaves the skull via jugular foramen
Branches
Lingual branches : to taste buds and mucosa of posterior third of tongue
Pharyngeal branches : take part in forming the pharyngeal plexus
distribute to the walls of pharynx
Tympanic nerve: GVE fibers via tympanic and lesser petrosal nerves to otic
ganglion, with postganglionic fibers via auriculotemporal (3) to parotid
gland
Carotid sinus branch: innervations to both carotid sinus and carotid
glomus
Others: tonsillar and stylophayngeal branches
Otic ganglion: situated just below foramen ovale
Glossopharyngeal Nerve ()
 Vagus Nerve ()
Components of fibers
GVE fibers: originate from dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve, synapse in
parasympathetic ganglion, short postganglionic fibers innervate cardiac
muscles, smooth muscles and glands of viscera
SVE fibers: originate from ambiguus, to muscles of pharynx and
larynx
GVA fibers: The cell bodies are located in the inferior vagal ganglion.
The central process carry impulse from viscera in neck, thoracic and
abdominal cavity to nucleus of solitary tract
GSA fibers: The cell bodies are located in the superior vagal ganglion.
The central process carry impulse from auricle, external acoustic
meatus and cerebral dura mater to spinal nucleus of trigeminal n.
 Left Vagus Nerve
Course
Enter thoracic inlet between left common
carotid and left subclavian arteries
Crosses the left side of the aortic arch where
left recurrent laryngeal nerve branches off
Passes posterior to left lung root contributing to
the pulmonary plexus
Descends on the anterior surface of the
esophagus and forms anterior esophageal
plexus
Forms anterior vagal trunk at esophageal
hiatus where it leaves thorax and passes into
abdominal cavity , then divides into anterior
gastric and hepatic branches
 Right Vagus Nerve
Course
Travels downward anterior to the right
subclavian artery and enter thoracic inlet on
right side of trachea
Passes posterior to right lung root
contributing to the pulmonary plexus
Then passes on to the posterior surface of
esophagus and forms posterior esophageal
plexus
Forms posterior vagal trunk at esophageal
hiatus where it leaves thorax and passes into
abdominal cavity, then divides into posterior
gastric and celiac branches
 Vagus Nerve ()
Branches in neck
Superior laryngeal nerve : passes
down side of pharynx and given rise
to
Internal branch, which pierces
thyrohyoid membrane to
innervates mucous membrane of
larynx above fissure of glottis
External branch, which
innervates cricothyroid
Cervical cardiac branches :
descending to terminate in cardiac
plexus
Others: auricular, pharyngeal and
meningeal branches
Vagus Nerve ()

Superior laryngeal nerve

Internal branch
External branch
 Vagus Nerve ()
Branches in thorax
Recurrent laryngeal nerves
Right one hooks around right subclavian
artery, left one hooks aortic arch
Both ascend in tracheo-esophageal groove
Nerves enter larynx posterior to cricothyroid
joint, the nerve is now called inferior
laryngeal nerve
Innervations: laryngeal mucosa below fissure
of glottis, all laryngeal muscles except
cricothyroid
Bronchial and esophageal branches