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Specialist Studies 2 > Cranial Nerves > Flashcards

Cranial Nerves Flashcards

1
Q

What are cranial nerves?

A

12 pairs of nerves that emerge directly from the brain

They pass through apertures in the skull.

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2
Q

How are cranial nerves numbered?

A

Based on the order they emerge from the brain, from the forebrain down the brainstem.

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3
Q

Which cranial nerves emerge from the forebrain?

A

Olfactory (I) and optic (II) nerves.

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4
Q

What part of the nervous system are cranial nerves considered components of?

A

Peripheral nervous system.

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5
Q

Which cranial nerves are part of the central nervous system on a structural level?

A

Olfactory (I) and optic (II) nerves.

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6
Q

What type of cells myelinate the olfactory and optic nerves?

A

Oligodendrocytes.

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7
Q

What type of cells myelinate the remaining cranial nerves?

A

Schwann cells.

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8
Q

What is the primary function of the olfactory nerve (I)?

A

Sense of smell.

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9
Q

Where do the sensory fibres of the olfactory nerve extend from and to?

A

From the olfactory epithelium to the olfactory bulb.

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10
Q

How does the sense of smell arise?

A

From stimulation of olfactory receptors by small molecules during inhalation.

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11
Q

What is the function of the optic nerve (II)?

A

Transmits sensory visual information from the retina to the visual cortex.

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12
Q

What two reflexes does the optic nerve conduct visual impulses for?

A

Light reflex and accommodation reflex.

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13
Q

What happens during the light reflex?

A

Constriction of both pupils when light is shone into the eye.

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14
Q

What does the oculomotor nerve (III) primarily control?

A

Eye movement.

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15
Q

Which muscles are innervated by the oculomotor nerve (III)?

A
  • Superior rectus
  • Inferior rectus
  • Medial rectus
  • Inferior oblique
  • Levator palpebrae superioris.
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16
Q

What are the two nuclei associated with the oculomotor nerve (III)?

A
  • Oculomotor nucleus
  • Edinger-Westphal nucleus.
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17
Q

What occurs when the oculomotor nerve (III) is damaged?

A

Affected eye turns out and down, droops eyelid, and may have a dilated pupil.

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18
Q

What is the primary function of the trochlear nerve (IV)?

A

Innervates the superior oblique muscle for downward eye movement.

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19
Q

What is unique about the trochlear nerve (IV)?

A

Smallest nerve and has the greatest intracranial length.

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20
Q

What are the clinical syndromes associated with trochlear nerve damage?

A
  • Vertical diplopia
  • Torsional diplopia.
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21
Q

What are the three branches of the trigeminal nerve (V)?

A
  • Ophthalmic
  • Maxillary
  • Mandibular.
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22
Q

What is the primary function of the sensory component of the trigeminal nerve (V)?

A

Provides tactile, proprioceptive, and nociceptive afferents to the face and mouth.

23
Q

What is trigeminal neuralgia?

A

Sudden, severe facial pain caused by compression of the trigeminal nerve.

24
Q

What is the function of the abducens nerve (VI)?

A

Controls lateral movement of the eye through innervation of the lateral rectus muscle.

25
Q

What happens when the abducens nerve (VI) is damaged?

A

Inability to turn the eye outwards.

26
Q

What are the functions of the facial nerve (VII)?

A
  • Muscles of facial expression
  • Taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue
  • Parasympathetic functions.
27
Q

What is Bell’s Palsy?

A

Paralysis of the facial nerve leading to ipsilateral facial paralysis.

28
Q

What does the vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII) control?

A

Hearing and equilibrium.

29
Q

What are the two divisions of the vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)?

A
  • Cochlear nerve
  • Vestibular nerve.
30
Q

What can damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII) cause?

A
  • Hearing loss
  • Vertigo
  • Nystagmus.
31
Q

What type of nerve is the glossopharyngeal nerve (IX)?

A

Mixed nerve.

32
Q

What are the functions of the glossopharyngeal nerve (IX)?

A
  • Controls muscles in the oral cavity
  • Sense of taste
  • Production of saliva.
33
Q

What is the primary function of the glossopharyngeal nerve?

A

Controls muscles in the oral cavity and upper throat, sense of taste, and production of saliva.

34
Q

Which muscle receives motor fibers from the glossopharyngeal nerve?

A

Stylopharyngeus muscle.

35
Q

From which areas does the glossopharyngeal nerve receive general sensory fibers?

A
  • Tonsils
  • Pharynx
  • Middle ear
  • Posterior 1/3 of the tongue.
36
Q

What type of sensory fibers does the glossopharyngeal nerve receive from the tongue?

A

Taste sensory fibers from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue.

37
Q

What does glossopharyngeal neuralgia cause?

A

Repeated episodes of severe pain in the tongue, throat, ear, and tonsils.

38
Q

True or False: The vagus nerve is a mixed nerve.

A

True.

39
Q

Where does the vagus nerve originate?

A

From the medulla.

40
Q

What percentage of the vagus nerve fibers are sensory?

A

80-90%.

41
Q

List the four nuclei that the vagus nerve axons emerge from or converge onto.

A
  • Dorsal nucleus
  • Nucleus ambiguus
  • Solitary nucleus
  • Spinal trigeminal nucleus.
42
Q

What is the primary role of the dorsal nucleus of the vagus nerve?

A

Sends parasympathetic output to the viscera, especially the intestines.

43
Q

What muscles does the vagus nerve control?

A
  • Cricothyroid muscle
  • Levator veli palatini muscle
  • Salpingopharyngeus muscle
  • Palatoglossus muscle
  • Palatopharyngeus muscle
  • Superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictors.
44
Q

What adverse effects can damage to the vagus nerve cause?

A

Effects on heart rate, gastrointestinal peristalsis, speech, swallowing, and larynx function.

45
Q

What happens when the vagus nerve is activated?

A

Typically leads to a reduction in heart rate and/or blood pressure.

46
Q

What is the accessory nerve primarily responsible for?

A

Motor control of muscles in the shoulder and neck.

47
Q

Where does the accessory nerve begin?

A

In the central nervous system.

48
Q

What two muscles does the accessory nerve innervate?

A
  • Sternocleidomastoid
  • Trapezius.
49
Q

What is the hypoglossal nerve responsible for?

A

Motor innervation of all extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue, except for palatoglossus.

50
Q

What happens when the hypoglossal nerve is damaged?

A

Deviation of the tongue towards the damaged side on protrusion.

51
Q

Classify cranial nerves into three functional groups.

A
  • Wholly sensory: I, II, VIII
  • Wholly motor: III, IV, VI, XI, XII
  • Mixed: V, VII, IX, X.
52
Q

What is the mnemonic for remembering the sensory and motor classification of cranial nerves?

A

Some Say Money Matters But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More.

53
Q

Fill in the blank: The _______ nerve is responsible for the gag reflex.

A

Vagus

54
Q

Fill in the blank: The _______ nerve is involved in the sensory innervation of the outer ear.

A

Vagus

Specialist Studies 2 (9 decks)

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