Cranial Nerves Flashcards
Name all the Cranial Nerves.
- CN I - Olfactory
- CN II - Optic
- CN III - Oculomotor
- CN IV - Trochlear
- CN V - Trigenminal (Opthalmic, Maxillary, Mandibular)
- CN VI - Abducens
- CN VII - Facial
- CN VIII - Vestibulocochlear
- CN IV - Glossopharyngeal
- CN X - Vagus
- CN XI - Accessory
- CN XII - Hypoglossal
Name Cranial Nerve I and describe its innervation. How does it exit the cranium?
Olfactory
- Special Sensory - Olfaction (smell)
- through Cribiform Plate of Ethmoid Bone
Name Cranial Nerve I and describe its innervation. How does it exit the cranium?
Olfactory
- Special Sensory - Olfaction (smell)
- through Cribiform Plate of Ethmoid Bone
What may be the complications of fractured Cribiform Plate of the Ethmoid Bone?
- Ansomnia
- Rhinorrhea
Name Cranial Nerve II and describe its innervation. How does it exit the cranium?
Optic
- Special sensory - Vision
- through Optic Canal
How may increased cranial pressure lead to blindness?
- Optic nerve is a brain tract e.g. wrapped around with meninges
- Raised ICP -> Swollen Optic Nerve
Name Cranial Nerve III and describe its innervation. How does it exit the cranium?
Oculomotor
- Somatic Motor - Extraocular muscles (except Superior Oblique & Lateral Rectus) & Levator Palpebrae Superioris
- PNS Motor - Constrictor Pupillae
- through Superior Oribital Fissure
How may a Cranial Nerve III palsy represent?
- Out and down eyeball
- Complete Ptosis
- Dilated Pupil
Name Cranial Nerve IV and describe its innervation. How does it exit the cranium?
Trochlear
- Somatic Motor - Superior Oblique
- through Superior Orbital Fissure
How do you test a Cranial Nerve IV palsy represent?
- Extorted eyeball
- Patient unable to look medially when looked down e.g. unable to read book
Name Cranial Nerve V and describe its innervation. How does it exit the cranium?
Trigeminal
- Opthalmic Br. leaves via Superior Orbital Fissure
- Opthalmic Br. - general sensory - Upper Conjunctive & Cornea & Scalp & forehead & anteriosuperior nose & Frontal + Ethmoid sinuses
- Maxillary Br. leaves via Foramen Rotundum
- Maxillary Br. - general sensory - Maxillary sinuses & Posteroinferior nose & Palate & Upper teeth & upper lip
- Mandibular Br. leaves via Forman Ovale
- Mandibular Br. - general sensory - Auricles & External Acoustic Canal & External Eardrum membrane & skin of Temples & Cheeks & Lower Teeth & Anterior 2/3 tongue
- Mandibular Br. - somatic motor - muscles of Mastication
A patient comes to you with rashes on his Upper forehead and complains about severe pain in of his eyes. What may be the diagnosis?
Varicella Zoster infection of Opthalmic Nerve (CN Vi)
What is the Corneal reflex?
irritation of cornea -> Opthalmic (CN Vi) efferent -> brain -> Facial (CN VII) afferent -> Orbicularis Oculi -> blinking
How do you test the Mandibular Nerve?
Palpate Temporalis and Masseter when patient clenches the teeth
Name Cranial Nerve VI and describe its innervation. How does it exit the cranium?
Abducens
- Somatic Motor - Lateral Rectus
- through Superior Orbital Fissure
How may an infection of Oculomotor Nerve spread to other nerves? Which nerves may be affected?
- CN IV - Trochlear
- CN Vi - Opthalmic
- CN Vii - Maxillary
- CN VI - Abducens
- all these nerves are surrounded by Cavernous Sinus