Cranial Nerves Flashcards

1
Q

Name all the cranial nerves
“Over on old towering top, a fine Victorian gentleman viewed a hawk”

A

CN I = Olfactory
CN II = Optic
CN III = Oculomotor
CN IV = Trochlear
CN V = Trigeminal
CN VI = Abducens
CN VII = Facial
CN VIII = Vestibulocochlear
CN IX = Glossopharyngeal
CN X = Vagus
CN XI = Accessory
CN XII = Hypoglossal

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2
Q

State whether each nerve is sensory, motor or both
“Some say marry money but my brother says big brains matter more”

A

CN I = sensory
CN II = sensory
CN III = motor
CN IV = motor
CN V = both (sensory + motor)
CN VI = motor
CN VII = both (sensory + motor)
CN VIII = sensory
CN IX = both (sensory + motor)
CN X = both (sensory + motor)
CN XI = motor
CN XII = motor

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3
Q

What structures are innervated by the olfactory nerve?

A

Olfactory epithelium

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4
Q

What is the function of the olfactory nerve?

A

Olfaction

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5
Q

Where does the olfactory nerve enter/exit in the skull and brain?

A

Skull - cribriform plate
Brain - anterior perforated substance

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6
Q

What structures are innervated by the optic nerve?

A

retina

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7
Q

What is the function of the optic nerve?

A

Vision; pupillary light reflex

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8
Q

Where does the optic nerve enter/exit the skull?

A

Optic canal

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9
Q

What structures are innervated by the oculomotor nerve?

A

motor - Superior, inferior and middle rectus muscles
Inferior oblique muscle
levator palpebrae superioris muscle

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10
Q

What is the function of the oculomotor nerve?

A

motor - movement of the eyeball and elevation of the upper eyelid

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11
Q

Where is the entry/exit point for the oculomotor nerve in the skull?

A

Superior orbital fissure

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12
Q

What structures are innervated by the trochlear nerve?

A

superior oblique muscle

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13
Q

What is the function of the trochlear nerve?

A

movement of eyeball - down and out

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14
Q

Where does the trochlear nerve enter/exit the skull?

A

superior orbital fissure

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15
Q

Where are the central connections for the trochlear nerve?

A

trochlear nucleus

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16
Q

Where are the central connections for the olfactory nerve?

A

olfactory bulb

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17
Q

Where are the central connections for the optic nerve?

A

lateral geniculate nucleus
pretectal nucleus

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18
Q

Where are the central connections for the oculomotor nerve?

A

motor - oculomotor nucleus

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19
Q

What structures are innervated by the trigeminal nerve?

A

motor - muscles of mastication, tensor tympani

sensory - face, scalp, cornea, nasal and oral cavities, cranial dura mater

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20
Q

What is the function of the trigeminal nerve?

A

sensory - general sensation (pain, temperature, touch)

motor - opening and closing the mouth, chewing

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21
Q

Where does the trigeminal nerve enter/exit the skull?

A

opthalmic division = superior orbital fissure
maxillary division = foramen rotundum
mandibular division = foramen ovale

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22
Q

Where are the central connections for the trigeminal nerve?

A

sensory = trigeminal sensory nucleus
motor = trigeminal motor nucleus

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23
Q

What structures are innervated by the abducens nerve?

A

lateral rectus muscle

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24
Q

What is the function of the abducens nerve?

A

movement of the eyeball - abduct the eye (rotate gaze away from the midline)

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25
Q

Where is the entry/exit point for the abducens nerve in the skull?

A

superior orbital fissure

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26
Q

Where are the central connections for the abducens nerve?

A

abducens nucleus

27
Q

What structures are innervated by the facial nerve?

A

sensory - anterior two thirds of the tongue
motor - muscles of facial expression

28
Q

What is the function of the facial nerve?

A

sensory - taste
motor - facial movement

29
Q

What structures are innervated by the vestibulocochlear nerve?

A

vestibular apparatus, cochlea

30
Q

What is the function of the vestibulocochlear nerve?

A

vestibular sensation (position and movement of the head), hearing

31
Q

Where are the central connections for the facial nerve?

A

sensory - nucleus solitarius
motor - facial nucleus

32
Q

Where is the entry/exit point on the skull for the facial nerve?

A

enters via internal acoustic meatus
exits via stylomastoid foramen

33
Q

Where are the central connections for the vestibulocochlear nerve?

A

vestibular nuclei and cochlear nuclei

34
Q

Where does the vestibulocochlear nerve enter/exit the skull?

A

internal acoustic meatus

35
Q

What structures are innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve?

A

sensory - pharynx, posterior third of tongue, middle ear, carotid body, carotid sinus

motor - stylopharyngeus muscle

36
Q

What is the function of the glossopharyngeal nerve?

A

sensory - general sensation, taste, chemoreception and baroreception
motor - swallowing

37
Q

Where are the central connections for the glossopharyngeal nerve?

A

sensory - trigeminal sensory nucleus, nucleus solitarius
motor - nucleus ambiguus

38
Q

Where does the glossopharyngeal nerve enter/exit on the skull?

A

jugular foramen

39
Q

What structures are innervated by the vagus nerve?

A

sensory - pharynx, larynx, trachea, oesophagus, external ear
motor - soft palate, pharynx, larynx, upper oesophagus

40
Q

What is the function of the vagus nerve?

A

sensory - general sensation
motor - speech, swallowing

41
Q

Where are the central connections for the vagus nerve?

A

sensory - trigeminal sensory nucleus, nucleus solitarius
motor - nucleus ambiguus

42
Q

Where is the entry/exit point for the vagus nerve on the skull?

A

jugular foramen

43
Q

What structures are innervated by the accessory nerve?

A

sternomastoid and trapezius muscles

44
Q

What is the function of the accessory nerve?

A

movement of the head and shoulder

45
Q

Where are the central connections for the accessory nerve?

A

spinal cord

46
Q

Where is the entry/exit point on the skull for the accessory nerve?

A

jugular foramen

47
Q

What structures are innervated by the hypoglossal nerve?

A

intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue

48
Q

What is the function of the hypoglossal nerve?

A

movement of the tongue

49
Q

Where are the central connections for the hypoglossal nerve?

A

hypoglossal nucleus

50
Q

Where is the entry/exit point for the hypoglossal nerve in the skull?

A

hypoglossal canal

51
Q

Which two cranial nerves attach directly to the forebrain?

A

CN I and CN II

52
Q

Which cranial nerves arise from the midbrain?

A

CN III and CN IV

53
Q

Which cranial nerves arise from the pons?

A

CN V - CN VIII

54
Q

Which cranial nerves arise from the medulla?

A

CN IX - CN XII

55
Q

Clinical link - outline Bells palsy

A

Acute unilateral inflammation of the facial nerve (lower motor neuron). If caused by herpes zoster (virus that also causes shingles), a vesicular rash is present in the external auditory canal and on the oropharynx

56
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of bells palsy?

A

Symptoms (unilateral - on one side):
- pain behind the ear
- paralysis of the facial muscles and failure to close eye on one side so the face appears to droop

Signs (unilateral - on one side):
- absent corneal reflex
- hyperacusis (certain sounds heard unpleasantly loud)
- loss of taste on the anterior two thirds of the tongue

57
Q

What is hyperacusis?

A

Certain sounds are heard unpleasantly loud

58
Q

Clinical link - outline bublar palsy (lower motor neuron palsy)

A

Set of conditions caused by impairment of the functions of the cranial nerves which arise from the medulla (CN IX, CN X, CN XI, CN XII)

59
Q

What are the signs and symptoms of bulbar palsy?

A

Symptoms:
- dysphagia = difficulty swallowing
- slurring of speech
- dysphonia = difficulty forming sounds
- excess saliva (dribbling)

Signs:
- wasting and fasciculations in the tongue
- absent gag reflex

60
Q

What can cause bulbar palsy?

A

degenerative conditions such as MND (ALS) and Guillain-Barre syndrome
brainstem strokes and tumours

61
Q

What is pseudobulbar palsy?

A

bilateral upper motor neuron palsy - shares symptoms with bulbar palsy but this is often characterised by atypical expression of emotion (eg: outbursts of laughing or crying) - emotions usually unaffected in bulbar palsy

62
Q

What causes pseudobulbar palsy?

A

Pseudobulbar palsy can be caused by a variety of pathological conditions including trauma, neurological disease (Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, etc), metabolic, vascular or tumor. Any condition which affects the corticobulbar tracts bilaterally will result in a pseudobulbar palsy.

63
Q

Clinical link - outline central pontine myelinolysis

A

Destruction of myelin in the pons - occurs when low sodium levels (hyponatremia) are corrected too quickly

64
Q

What are the symptoms of central pontine myelinolysis?

A

confusion
balance problems
dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
hallucinations
reduced consciousness
slurred speech
tremor and weakness in the face or limbs