Neuro Cranial Nerves Review
Nerve
Nucleus
XII
In caudal medulla; as it moves rostrally forms hypoglossal trigone
in floor of 4th ventricle
XI
Spinal accessory nucleus in lateral gray matter of C1-C5
XI
X
X
X
Some fibers from caudal nucleus ambiguus
Dorsal motor nucleus contains parasympathetics and forms vagal
trigone
Nucleus ambiguus contains parasympathetics and motor fibers
Spinal Trigeminal nucleus
X
IX
Solitary nucleus
Spinal trigeminal nucleus, sensory fibers
IX
VIII
Solitary nucleus, sensory fibers
Dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei, sensory fibers
VIII
VII
Four vestibular nuclei in the upper medulla and lower pons; form
vestibular area of floor of 4th ventricle; sensory fibers
Facial nucleus; motor fibers
VII
Superior salivatory nucleus; motor fibers
VII
Solitary nucleus; sensory fibers
VII
V
V
VI
IV
Spinal trigeminal nucleus, sensory fibers
Main sensory nucleus in the middle pons, sensory fibers
Rostral spinal trigeminal nucleus extends through the medulla and
C1-C3 in the dorsal horn, sensory fibers
Trigeminal motor nucleus, medial to main sensory nucleus, motor
fibers
In dorsal pons under facial colliculus
In the caudal midbrain at the level of the inferior colliculus
III
In the dorsomedial midbrain at the level of the superior colliculus
V
Exit (motor)/Entrance (sensory) Route
Preolivary sulcus
Dorsal to the denticulate ligaments and into the posterior cranial fossa
and into the foramen magnum; through jugular foramen
Through jugular foramen
Near postolivary sulcus and through the jugular foramen
Near postolivary sulcus and through the jugular foramen
Sensory fibers come from superior ganglion and join spinal trigeminal
tract
Sensory fibers come from inferior ganglion and join the solitary tract
Sensory fibers from the superior and inferior ganglia join the spinal
trigeminal tract
Sensory fibers from the inferior ganglia join the solitary tract
Sensory fibers from spiral ganglion enter through the pontomedullary
junction at the cerebellopontine angle
Sensory fibers from the vestibular ganglion enter through the
pontomedullary junction at the cerebellopontine angle
Loop over abducens nucleus to form the facial colliculus; through the
pontomedullary junction, medial to VIII;
Through the pontomedullary junction, medial to VIII; in the nervus
intermedius branch which branches into the greater petrosal and chorda
tympani
From the geniculate ganglion; In the nervus intermedius; Into the
solitary tract
From the geniculate ganglion; In the nervus intermedius
Through the lateral pons to the middle of the middle cerebellar peduncle
Through the lateral pons, into the spinal trigmenial tract
Through the middle of the middle cerebellar peduncle
Exit ventrally at the pontomedullary junction
Leave dorsally, all fibers cross before exiting the brainstem caudal to
the inferior colliculus
Exits in the interpeduncular fossa at the junction of the pons and
III
with five levels: dorsal lateral, intermediate lateral, ventral lateral,
medial, and central
Edinger-Westphal at the rostral end of III nucleus
Nerve
XII
XII
XI
VII
V
V
V
V
V
Input
Cerebral motor cortex in corticobulbar pathway
Sensory from solitary and spinal trigeminal nuclei
Corticospinal tract
Facial nucleus receives sensory information about blink reflex from the spinal trigeminal nucleus
Axons from main sensory nucleus travel onto the ventroposterior medial nucleus of the thalamus
Axons from main sensory nucleus travel onto the dorsal trigeminothalamic tracts
Axons from spinal trigeminal nucleus travel onto the VPM of the thalamus
Axons from the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus travel onto the trigeminal motor nucleus
Motor input from the cerebral cortex
Nerve
Contents
XII
Alpha motor neurons
XI
Motor neurons from C1-C5
XI
Somatic motor neurons from nucleus
ambiguus
X
Parasympathetic
X
Motor
X
Sensory with cell bodies in the superior
ganglion
X
Sensory with cell bodies in the inferior
ganglion
IX
Sensory fibers with synapse in the spinal
trigeminal nucleus
IX
Sensory fibers with synapse in the
solitary nucleus
VIII
Sensory fibers with cell bodies in spiral
ganglion
VIII
Sensory fibers with cell bodies in
vestibular ganglion
VII
motor fibers with cell bodies in the facial
nucleus
midbrain and goes between the superior cerebellar and posterior
cerebral arteries on its way to the eye
Terminate in ciliary ganglion
Laterality
Bilateral with a contralateral dominance
Ipsilateral
Bilateral
Bilateral
Contralateral
Mostly ipsilateral but some contralateral
Contralateral
Ipsilateral
Bilateral
Function
Controls tongue movement
Innervates the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius
Join Vagus
Control of thoracic and abdominal organs
Innervate pharyngeal muscles
Transmit pain, temperature and touch
Transmit taste from epiglottis and esophagus and chemoreceptor information from carotid body
Transmit pain, temperature, and touch form posterior 1/3 of tongue
Baroreceptor information from carotid sinus and taste from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue; also
mediates sensory limb of the gag reflex
Transmit auditory information from cochlea by innervating cochlear hair cells
Transmit balance and equilibrium information from the utricles, saccule, and semicircular canals
of the inner ear by innervating hair cells of these structures
Innervates muscles of facial expression
VII
VII
VII
VII
VII
VII
V
V
V
V
VI
IV
III
III
III
III
III
III
Motor fibers in the greater petrosal nerve
Motor fibers in the Chorda Tympani
Sensory fibers in the greater petrosal
nerve
Sensory fibers in the chorda tympani
Sensory fibers terminating in the spinal
trigeminal nucleus
Sensory fibers terminating in the facial
nucleus
Sensory fibers terminating in the main
sensory nucleus
Sensory fibers terminating in the spinal
trigeminal nucleus
Sensory fibers synapsing in the
mesenchephalic trigeminal
Motor fibers
Motor fibers
Motor fibers
Motor fibers in the dorsal lateral
subnucleus
Motor fibers in the intermediate lateral
subnucleus
Motor fibers in the ventral lateral
subnucleus
Motor fibers in the medial subnucleus
Motor fibers in the central subnucleus
Sensory fibers (parasympathetic from
ciliary ganglion)
Innervates lacrimal gland and mucous glands of nasopharynx
Innervate sublingual and submandibular salivary glands
Taste from the palate
Taste from anterior 2/3 of the tongue
Sensation to external auditory meatus
Mediates corneal blink reflex
Discriminative touch in the face
Pain and temperature in the face and the sensory limb of the blink reflex
Reflex control of chewing and proprioception for muscles of mastication
Muscles of mastication
Lateral rectus
Superior Oblique
Ipsilateral inferior rectus
Ipsilateral inferior oblique
Ipsilateral medial rectus
Contralateral superior rectus
Bilateral levator palpebrae superioris
ciliary muscle (accommodation) and sphincter pupillae of iris(diameter) and efferent limb of
papillary light reflex (consensual)