The Cranial Nerves

Muh.Iqbal Basri
Department of Anatomy
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
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
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: contain only afferent (sensory) fibers
Olfactory nerve
Optic nerve
Vestibulocochlear nerve
Motor cranial nerves: contain only efferent (motor) fibers
Oculomotor nerve
Trochlear nerve
Abducent nerve
Accessory nerv
Hypoglossal nerve
Mixed nerves: contain both sensory and motor fibers---
Trigeminal nerve,
Facial nerve,
Glossopharyngeal nerve
Vagus nerve
Sensory cranial nerves
N. Location of cell Cranial Terminal Main
body and axon exit nuclei action
categories
Olfactory cells Cribrifom Olfactory Smell
(SVA) foramina bulb
Ganglion cells Optic Lateral Vision
(SSA) canal geniculate
body
Vestibular Internal Vestibular Equilibri
ganglion(SSA) acoustic nuclei um
meatus
Cochlear Cochlear Hearing
ganglion (SSA) nuclei
 Olfactory nerve

Olfactory mucosa (SVA) Cribriform foramina Olfactory

bulb
 Optic nerve
Ganglion cell (SSA) Optic canal Lateral geniculate body
 Vestibulocochlear nerve
Vestibular ganglion(SSA) Vestibular nuclei
Internal acoustic meatus
Cochlear ganglion (SSA) Cochlear nuclei
Motor cranial nerves
N. Nucleus of origin and Cranial exit Main action
axon categories
Nucleus of oculomotor Superior orbital Motot to superior, inferior
(GSE) fissure and medial recti; inferior
obliquus; levator
palpebrae superioris
Accessory nucleus of Parasympathetic to
oculomotor (GVE) sphincter pupillea and
ciliary muscl
Nucleus of trochlear Superior orbital Motor to superior obliquus
nerve (GSE) fissure
Nucleus of abducent Superior orbital Motor to lateral rectus
nerve (GSE) fissure
Nucleus of accessory Jugular foramen Motor to
nerve (SVE) sternocleidomastoid and
trapezius
Nucleus of hypoglossal Hypoglossal canal Motot to muscles of
nerve( GSE) tongue
 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
 Accessory nerve

Abducent nerve
 Hypoglossal nerve

Hypoglossal nerve
 Oculamotor paralysis

Abducent nerve injury

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
Branches
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
Distribution:
Sensation from
cerebral dura mater
Visual organ

Mucosa of nose

Skin above the eye and

back of nose
Maxillary nerve
(2, sensory)
Leave skull through
foramen rotundum
Branches
Infraorbital nerve
Zygomatic nerve
Superior alveolar
nerve
Pterygopalatine nerve
Distribution:
Sensation from cerebral
dura mater
Maxillary teeth
Mucosa of nose and
mouth
Skin between eye and
mouth
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
Distribution:
Sensation from cerebral
dura mater
Teeth and gum of lower
jaw
Mucosa of floor of mouth
Anterior 2/3 of tongue
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 fiber from taste buds of anterior two-thirds of tongue which
cell bodies are in the geniculate ganglion of the facial nerve and
end by synapsing with cells of nucleus of solitary tract
GSA fibers from skin of external ear
Course: leaves 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
Branches within the facial canal
Chorda tympani : joins lingual branch of mandibular nerve
To taste buds on anterior two-thirds of tongue
Relayed in submandibular ganglion, the postganglionic fibers supply
submandibular and sublingual glands
 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
Branches outside of facial canal
Temporal

Zygomatic

Buccal

Marginal mandibular

Cervical
 Pterygopalatine ganglion : lies in pterygopalatine
fossa under maxillary nerve
Submandibular ganglion : lies between lingual
nerve and submandibular gland
Injury to the facial nerve
 Glossopharyngeal nerve ()
Components of fibers
SVE fibers: originate from nucleus ambiguus, and supply
stylopharygeus
GVE fibers: arise from inferior salivatory nucleus and ralyed
in otic ganglion, the postganglionic fibers supply parotid gland
SVA fibers: arise from the cells of inferior ganglion, the
central processes of these cells terminate in nucleus of
solitary tract, the peripheral processes supply the taste buds
on posterior third of tongue
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 cells of
nucleus of solitary tract
GSA fibers: sensation from skin of posterior surface of
auricle and
Course: 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
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 glomus
Others: tonsillar and stylophayngeal branches
Otic ganglion : situated just below foramen ovale
 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: carry impulse from viscera in neck,
thoracic and abdominal cavity to nucleus of
solitary tract
GSA fiber: sensation from auricle, external
acoustic meatus and cerebral dura mater
Course
Exits the skull from jugular foramen
Descends in the neck in carotid sheath between
internal (or common) carotid artery and internal
jugular vein
Right vagus nerve
Enter thoracic inlet on right side of trachea
Travels downward posterior to right
brachiocephalic vein and superior vena cava
Passes posterior to right lung root
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
Left vagus nerve
Enter thoracic inlet between left common
carotid and left subclavian arteries, posterior to
left brachiocephalic vein
Crosses aortic arch where left recurrent
laryngeal nerve branches off
Passes posterior to left lung root
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
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
 Superior laryngeal nerve

Internal branch

External branch