Cranial Nerves Flashcards
If a cranial nerve and long tract signs are associated, where can the lesion most likely be located?
What is more likely if there is not signs of long tract involvement?
What if sensory or motor impairment is present but cranial nerve signs are not evident?
Within the brainstem.
The damage many be smaller or in the peripheral course of the nerve
Implications of the brain stem are less likely
Where do the olfactory nerves exit the skull?
Cribriform plate of ethmoid
Where do the optic nerves and ophthalmic artery exit the skull?
Through the optic foramen
What nerves exit through the superior orbital fissure?
3,4,6, ophthalmic branch of 5
What cranial nerve exits through the foramen rotundum?
Maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve
What cranial nerve exits through the foramen ovale?
The Mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve
What exits the skull through the foramen lacerum?
The internal carotid artery
What exits the skull through the foramen spinosum?
The middle meningeal artery
What exits the skull through the internal acoustic meatus?
CN 7 and 8
What exits the skull through the jugular foramen?
CN 9, 10, 11
What exits the skull through the hypoglossal canal?
CN12
What exits the skull through the foramen magnum?
Medulla and meninges, CN 11, vertebral arteries, anterior and posterior spinal arteries
What cranial nerves control eye movements?
CN 3, 4 and 6
Where do the four rectus muscles insert on the eye?
The anterior half.
MR is purely horizontal so contraction will do pure medial rotation (adduction)
LR is purely horizontal so contraction will do pure lateral rotation (abduction)
SR and IF insert 23degrees from the center (toward the nose) so when they contract they will go up and out and down and out respectively
How does CN 6 move the eye?
It innervates the lateral rectus muscle so it will abduct the eye.
What direction does the SR move the eye?
- Up and out because the muscle inserts on a 23 degree lateral angle to the straight ahead position of the eye
- Intorsion
When are the SR and IR most effective?
When the eye is abducted 23 degrees
All superior named muscles move the eyeball in what direction?
Intorsion
All inferior named muscles produce what movement of the eye?
Extorsion
What direction does the inferior rectus move the eye?
- Down and abducted
2. Extorsion
How do the superior oblique and inferior oblique approach their insertion points on the eye ball?
From the anterior direction at 51 degrees medial to the straight ahead position of the eye
When is the superior oblique the most efficient depressor?
When the eye is a little adducted
How does the superior oblique move the eye?
Down and in
How does the inferior oblique move the eye?
Up and in (most effective when the eye is adducted)
What eye muscles are intorters?
What eye muscles are extorters?
Intorters- superior oblique and superior rectus
Extorters- inferior oblique and inferior rectus
What is the role of the superior colliculi?
What is the role of the cerebral peduncle?
- It is the optic portion of the tectum
- It carries motor tracts from the cerebral cortex to the brainstem or spinal cord (corticospinal or corticobulbar tracts)
Where does the motor nucleus of CN 3 sent root fibers?
Through the red nucleus which is a motor relay to the cerebellum, cerebral cortex and spinal cord
Where is the parasympathetic nucleus of CN 3 located?
What is it called?
Edinger-Westphal nucleus and it is located just below the periaquaductal gray
What does CN 3 innervate?
Ipsilateral medial, superior and inferior rectus, inferior oblique, levator palpebrae
If a patient has severe ptosis, what muscle is most likely affected?
If the patient has mild ptosis, what muscle is affected?
The levator palpebrae (CN3)
The mueller muscles (sympathetics)
If the third cranial nerve is damaged, what would the presentation be?
The eye would be down and out because the superior oblique would still be depression (and trying to be going in) but the lateral rectus still works and pulls the muscle laterally (abducts)
You would also see severe ptosis because the levator palpebrae would be blown
What is the superior rectus subnucleus of cranial nerve 3? Where do the fibers go?
It is a paired nucleus where the fibers completely decussate. So the right superior rectus nucleus will send fibers that travel with the left cranial nerve 3 and innervate the left superior rectus
What is the term for double vision?
What is the term for “down and out”?
What is the term for dilated pupil?
What causes “down and out” movement of the eye?
Diplopia
Extropia
Mydriasis
CN 3 palsy
In what syndrome would you see mild ptosis due to mullers muscle dysfunction?
Horners syndrome (a disorder where sympathetics get messed up)
What muscles are supplied by the edinger-Westphal nucleus?
- The sphincter muscles of the iris that reduce the size of the pupil in response to light and accommodate the lenses for close up vision. Therefore a CN 3 lesion could also produce dilated pupil.
- Ciliary muscles which when contracted reduce tension on the zonules to reduce tension on the lens and allow for accommodation (more spherical)
What is presbyopia?
With age the flexibility of the lens to assume spherical shape for up close reading is reduced
Where do the root fibers of CN 4 exit the brainstem?
Does CN 4 innervate ipsilateral or contralateral muscles?
Loop dorsally and caudally around the central gray to cross in the anterior medulla after exiting from the brainstem.
Because the fibers cross, they innervate contralateral superior oblique muscles.