| |
Brainstem:
Cranial Nerves
The Cranial
Nerves
There are references to the cranial nerves in many sections of Neuroanatomy
Foundations. The cranial nerves represent one avenue by which the
brain receives sensory information and exerts motor control. Each
nerve has a specific set of functions and relationships with other
parts of the brain. Each also has a primary nucleus, which represents
an initial relay point for information conveyed by the nerve. The
following is a table summarizing these major features of the cranial
nerves.
Nerve, Nucleus Location, Function
1. Olfactory Frontal Lobe, Smell
2. Optic Thalamus, Vision
3. Oculomotor Midbrain, Eye movement, constriction of the
pupil, accommodation of the lens.
4. Trochlear Midbrain, Eye movement
5. Trigeminal Midbrain, Position sense for chewing
Trigeminal Pons, Motor control for chewing,facial sensations
Trigeminal Medulla, Facial sensations
6. Abducens Pons, Lateral eye movements
7. Facial Pons, Control of facial muscles
Facial Medulla, Taste sensation for the front part of the
tongue, salivation and control of lacrimation.
8. Vestibulocochlear Pons & Medulla, Balance and Hearing
9. Glossopharyngeal Medulla, Motor control of swallowing,
salivation, taste sensation from the back part of the tongue, some
control of cardiovascular and pulmonary reflexes.
10. Vagus Medulla, Sensation from the pharnyx and larynx,motor
control of swallowing, phonation,autonomic control of viscera, taste
11. Accessory Medulla, Control of sternomastoid and upper,
trapezius muscles
12. Hypoglossal Medulla, Motor control of the tongue
|
