Cranial Nerves

Question 1

Name the 12 cranial nerves

Answer 1

CNI Olfactory
CNII Optic
CNIII Oculomotor
CNIV Trochlear
CNV Trigeminal
CNVI Abducent
CNVII Facial
CNVIII Vestibulocochlear
CNIX Glossopharyngeal
CNX Vagus
CNXI Accessory
CNXII Hypoglossal

Question 2

What are the 3 motor columns medial to lateral?

Answer 2

Somatic, Branchial, Visceral (autonomic)

Question 3

What are the 3 sensory columns medial to lateral?

Answer 3

Visceral, Somatic, Special

Question 4

What is the pupillary light reflex?

Answer 4

light is shone into the eye which sends signals from the retina via the optic nerve to the brain- motor fibres from the Edinger Westfal nucleus innervate the sphincter pupillae muscle which constricts the pupils

Question 5

The pupillary light reflex is used to check which region of the brainstem?

Answer 5

midbrain

Question 6

Describe the Corneal blink reflex

Answer 6

cotton wool is touched against the retina which is sensed by Opthalmic division of Trigeminal nerve CNV1 and motor response is mediated by Facial nerve CNVII triggering blinking of the eye (orbicularis oculi)

Question 7

The Corneal blink reflex is used to assess function at what level of the brainstem?

Answer 7

Pons

Question 8

Describe the gag reflex

Answer 8

Stimulation of the posterior tongue/oropharynx stimulates glossopharyngeal nerve (afferent) and triggers gag = mediated by the vagus nerve

Question 9

The gag reflex is used to test function in what region of the brainstem?

Answer 9

Medulla

Question 10

What are the somatic motor functions?

Answer 10

extra-ocular muscles, muscles of tongue

Question 11

What are the branchial motor nuclei?

Answer 11

Trigeminal nucleus (mastication) Facial nucleus, nucleus ambiguus, Acessory nucleus

Question 12

What is the edinger westfall nucleus?

Answer 12

Oculomotor nucleus -> for pupillary reflex

Question 13

What nuclei are in the visceral motor column?

Answer 13

EW-nucleus, Superior and inferior salivatory (CNVII, CNIX) Vagus nucleus

Question 14

What nuclei are in the visceral sensory column?

Answer 14

CNVII, IX, X = Nucleus Solitarius

Question 15

What nuclei are in the somatic sensory column?

Answer 15

CNV, VII, IX, X

Question 16

What is the nuclei in the special sensory column

Answer 16

CNVIII

Question 17

How is the nucleus solitarius organised?

Answer 17

Rostral = gustatory nucleus (taste buds and palate)
Caudal = visceral sensory division

Question 18

Where does the olfactory nerve exit the skull? where does the neurons synapse?

Answer 18

from the nose it picks up smells and takes this info through the cribiform plate of the ethmoid bone and synapses in the olfactory bulb - info ends up in the insular cortex (gustatory nucleus)