Cranial Nerve Review Table

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Cranial Nerve

Foramen

Region Entered

Components

Target, Function

I-Olfactory

cribiform plate of
ethmoid

nasal cavity

special sensory

II-Optic

optic canal of
sphenoid

orbit

special sensory retina-vision

III-Oculomotor

IV-Trochlear

superior orbital
fissure

superior orbital
fissure

orbit

orbit

olfactory epithelium - smell

somatomotor

levator palpebrae superioris

superior rectus
medial rectus
inferior rectus
inferior oblique

visceromotor

preganglionic
parasympathetic to: ciliary
ganglion (innervation of
sphincter pupillae and ciliary
muscle)

somatomotor

superior oblique muscle

(poverty muscle)

V1-Trigeminal opthalmic
(Major branches:
Lacrimal, Frontal,
Nasociliary, and
Meningeal branch)

superior orbital
fissure

orbit

general sensory

general sensation from skin

and mucosa in region at and
above orbit

V2-Trigeminal maxillary
(Major branches:
Infraorbital, Zygomatic,
Nasopalatine, and
Palatine branch)

foramen
rotundum

pterygopalatine
fossa

general
sensory

general sensation from skin

and mucosa in region from
orbit to mouth

branchiomotor

muscles of mastication
tensor tympani
tensor veli palatini
mylohyoid
anterior belly digastric

general sensory

general sensation from the

skin and mucosa from region
at and below the mouth

orbit

somatomotor

to lateral rectus (best

abductor!)

temporal bone

branchiomotor

V3-Trigeminal mandibular
(Major branches: Buccal, foramen ovale with
Auriculotemporal,
lesser petrosal from
Lingual, Inferior Alveolar, CN9
and Meningeal branch)

VI-Abducens

superior orbital
fissure

VII-Facial
(Major motor branches:
Temporal, Zygomatic,
Buccal, Mandibular,

internal acoustic
meatus-> facial
canal->
stylomastoid

infratemporal
fossa

muscles of facial expression

stapedius
stylohyoid
mylohyoid

Cervical, and Posterior

Auricular)

foramen

posterior belly digastric

facial canal->
middle ear->
chorda tympani->
petrotympanic
fissure
facial canal->
middle ear->
chorda tympani->
petrotympanic
fissure

greater superficial
petrosal->
pterygoid canal

special sensory

taste, anterior 2/3 tongue

visceromotor

preganglionic
parasympathetic to:
submandibular ganglia
(innervates submandibular
and sublingual glands)

visceromotor

preganglionic
parasympathetic to:
pterygopalatine ganglia
(innervates lacrimal gland,
nasal glands, and palatine
glands

VIII-Vestibulocochlear

internal auditory
meatus

temporal bone

special sensory hearing and balance

IX-Glossopharyngeal

jugular foramen

neck

branchiomotor

stylopharyngeus

viscerosensory

pharynx, palate, carotid sinus,

carotid body and posterior 1/3
tongue

X-Vagus

XI-Spinal Accessory

special sensory

taste, posterior 1/3 tongue

jugular formen->
tympanic branch->
tympanic
caniculus-> middle
ear

middle ear

viscerosensory

middle ear and auditory tube

jugular formen->
tympanic branch->
tympanic
caniculus-> middle
ear

infratemporal
fossa

visceromotor

parotid

branchiomoto
r

pharynx and larynx

general
sensory

auricle, external auditory

meatus

viscerosensory

mucosa of entire larynx

visceromotor

preganglionic
parasympathetic to
abdomen & thorax

branchiomotor

trapezius, sternocleidomastoid

jugular foramen

enters by foramen
magnum-> exits by
jugular foramen

neck

XII-Hypoglossal

hypoglossal canal

Last Modified: May 7, 1996

Maintained by: neuro714@macc.wisc.edu

neck

somatomotor

all tongue muscles (these

end in glossus) are
innervated by CN12 except
palatoglossus