ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

CN VI (ABDUCENS)
 ANATOMY

• Abducens nerve mediates horizontal movements of the eye

• 6 th paired CN  in pons at the floor of 4th ventricle, at same level
of facial colliculus
• Abducens nucleus  caudal portion of pontine tegmentum
• Abducens nucleus contain 2 different neurons :
1st group (70%) consist of GSE motorneuron  ipsilateral lateral rectus
muscle

2nd group (30%) consist of interneuron  contralateral medial rectus

muscle
PATHWAY TO MUSCLE

Axon project from abducens nucleus in

anterolateral direction through pons
exit on anterior surface of brain stem
at pontine medullary junction 
abducens nerve passes anteriorly to
the orbit through superior orbital
fissure  innervate lateral rectus
muscle  contraction of eye which
eyeball laterally (outwardly)
• Vascularization  supplied by pontine branches of basilar artery
• Innervation  ipsilateral lateral rectus muscle & contralateral
medial rectus muscle
PHYSIOLOGY

• Stimualation of GSE motorneuron of abducens nucleus  cause

ipsilateral LRM contractuon  abduction of eye
• Stimulation of internuclear neurons  cause eye to contract
(adduction)
PATHOLOGY SIGN

• Lesion in abducens nucleus causes

paralysis of LRM, resulting medial
strabismus & horizontal diplopia
• Medial strabismus : paralysis in
abducens nucleus innervate LRM ->
can’t abduct the eye  eyeball push
to medial