Cranial nerves Flashcards
What can cranial nerve abnormalities arise from?
Lesions affecting the:
- communicating pathways to and from the cortex, cerebellum and other parts of the brainstem
- nerve nucleus
- nerve
- neuromuscular junciton disorders
- muscle
Name the cranial nerves
I- olfactory II - optic III - oculomotor IV- trochlear V - trigeminal VI - abducens VII - facial VIII - vestibulocochlear IX - glossopharyngeal X- Vagus XI -spinal accessory XII - hypoglossal
State the components of each of the cranial nerves
I-olfactoy - sensory II- optic - Sensory III - oculomotor - Motor IV- trochlear - motor V- trigeminal - both VI - Abduncens - motor VII - Facial - both VIII - Vestibulocochlear - sensory IX - Glossopharyngeal - both X- Vagus - both XI- Accessory - motor XII- hypoglossal - motor
What is the function of CN I?
Smell
What is the tract of CN I?
Olfactory cells of the nasal mucosa -> olfactory bulbs -> pyriform cortex
What is the function of the optic nerve?
Vision
What is the tract of the optic nerve?
Retinal ganglion cells -> optic chasm -> thalamus -> primary visual cortex in occipital lobe
How do you examine the optic nerve?
- Optic disc via opthalmoscopy
- Pupillary responses - consensual response
- Visual acuity (snellen)
- Visual fields and blind spot (confrontation)
Explain pupillary reflexes
- optic nerve -> optic tract -> pretectal nucleus ->posterior commissure ->edinger-wetphal nucleus
- oculomotor nucleus ->oculomotor nerve -> ciliary ganglion -> short ciliary nerve to ciliary muscle and constrictor papillae muscle
Severed optic nerve
Monocular vision loss on side of severed nerve
Lesion to optic tract
contralateral homonymous hemianopia
Lesion to optic chiasm
Bitemporal hemianopia
Where is the location of the motor nucleus of CN III?
Midbrain (oculomotor nucleus)
What is the motor function of CN III?
Movement of the eyeball and lens accommodation
•Inferior oblique
•Superior, medial and inferior recti muscles
•Levator palpebrae superioris
What is the parasympathetic function of CN III?
Pupil constriction
•Innervates ciliary muscles and pupillary constrictor muscles
Where is the location of the parasympathetic nucleus of oculomotor
Midbrain - edinger westphal
What is the result of a complete left oculomotor nerve palsy?
- Dilation of the pupil
- Eye down and out
- complete ptosis
What is the function of CN IV?
Move the eyeball (depresses the adducted eye and introrts the abducted eye) - superior oblique muscle
Where is the location of the trochlear nucleus?
Midbrain (inferior colliculus)
What is the function of CN VI?
Eyeball movement - abducts the eye on the horizontal plane, innervates the lateral rectus
Describe abducens nerve palsy
Cannot look to the side of the affected nerve
Which cranial nerve has the longest intracranial course?
Trochlear
Which of the cranial nerves decussate to the contralateral side?
II and IV
What is the sign of a 4th nerve palsy?
Failure of downgaze