Cranial nerves Flashcards
List all 12 cranial nerves in order?
- olefactory
- optic
- occulomotor
- trochlear
- trigeminal
- abucens
- facial
- vestibulocochlear
- glossopharyngeal
- vagus
- accessory
- hypoglossal
From where do each of the cranial nerves arise?
1 and 2 from the brain// 3 and 4 from midbrain// 5,6,7,8 from pons and 9,10,11,12 from medulla
What runs through the cavernous sinus?
occulomotor, trochlear, opthalmic division of trigeminal nerve, maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve, internal carotid artery and abudcens nerve
Describe the path of the olfactory nerve
form nose, up through cribiform foramina, to the olfactory bulb, which runs does olfactory tract to the forebrain
What is the function of the olfactory nerve? How can it be tested?
Smell
Tested by asking about any change in sense of smell or do smelling salts test
What may cause anosmia (loss of smell)? (3)
- blocked nose/ a cold
- head injuries damaging olfactory tract of cribiform foramina shearing force
- tumours at base of frontal lobe
Describe the path of the optic nerve
From eye, through optic canal, the nerves mix at the optic chiasm and then run through optic tracts to occipital lobes at back of brain
What are the functions of the optic nerve and how are they tested?
Vision and afferent limb of pupillary light reflex,
Tested by visual feilds tests, snellen charts and pupil light reflexes
What can be inferred about the location of the nerve legion if an eye doesn’t react to light directly of consensually?
It is a motor probelm- so occulumotor nerve lesion
What can be inferred if one eye fails to respond directly to light but when light is shone in the other eye it does constrict?
It is an optic nerve injury as sensory limb lost
How can the optic nerve be affected?
By papillodema- the optic nerve runs in an extension of the meninges so raised ICP will also impinge on the optic nerve.
Pituitary tumours may also impinge on it and cause tunnel vision
Describe the route of the occulomotor nerve
From midbrain, through cavernous sinus, exits at superior orbital fissure into orbit.
Which cranial nerves carry autonomics?
occulomotor, facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus (3,7,9,10)
What are the motor and autonomic functions of the occulomotor nerve?
Motor: medial, superior and inferior rectus and inferior oblique as well as levator palberae superioris which opens eyelid
Parasymapthetic to sphincter pupillae (constricts pupil) and cillary muscle (thickens lens)
How can the occulomotor nerve be affected by raised ICP? Why are the pupillary light reflexes and accomodation reflex affected first?
it runs along the tentorium cerbelli, so it can be compressed by the encus movement when the ICP raises. The parasympathetic fibres run along the outside of the nerve bundle, so are impinged first.
Other than raised ICP, what may cause occulomotor nerve dysnfunctions?
- cavernous sinus thrombus
- aneurysms
- diabetes and hypertension
Describe the route of the trochlear nerve
From the mid brain, through the cavernous sinus and out through the superior orbital fissure
What is the function of the trochlear nerve and how can it be tested?
Motor innervation to the superior oblique muscle.
Tested by testing whether eye can be moved into a down and in position