Cranial Nerves Functions Flashcards
Olfactory funciton
Sensory; Conveys sense of smell to the brain
Optic function
- Sensory; special somatic afferent nerve which innervates the retina of the eye and brings visual information to the brain.
Occulomotor function
Chief motor nerve supplying the eye, adjust & coordinate eye position during movement
Trochlear function
Supplies the one extraocular muscle, superior oblique muscle allowing eye to move down and out
Trigeminal function
Mixed, main sensory nerve head carrying information about touch, pain, temperature and proprioception.
i. Motor control -muscles of mastication & tensor tympani (dampens loud sounds) & tensor veli palatini
1. prevents food entering nasopharynx during swallowing
2. opens eustachian tube
Abducens function
innervates one extraocular muscle, lateral rectus, which moves eye toward side of head, abducts eyeball
Facial function
Controls facial movement and expression, taste ant 2/3 tongue, producing tears and noise volume (stapedius)
Vestibulocochlear function
- Sensory; conveys sound and equilibrium information from inner ear to the brain.
Glossopharyngeal function
i. Sensory (touch, pain and temperature) to posterior 1/3 tongue upper pharynx, tonsils, outer ear, eardrum & eustachian tube.
iv. Motor to stylopharyngeus muscle and parotid gland
Vagus function
gland secretion, peristalsis, phonation, taste, visceral and general sensation of the head, thorax and abdomen.
Accessory function
- Motor; Supplies sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and trapezius muscles; rotation of head away from side contraction SCM, tilt head toward contracting SCM, flexion of neck by both SCM & shoulder elevation by trapezius
Hypoglossal function
Motor to tongue to control movements for eating and speaking. Supplies intrinsic muscles and three extrinsic muscles of tongue.
2. Damage:
i. Nerve injury can cause dysarthria, dysphagia and possible airway protection reduction (if bilateral)
