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Cranial Nerves & Cranial Foramen Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

Human cranial nerves named and numbered; also what goes through each foramen

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

Cranial Nerves

CN I
Olfactory Nerve
CN II
Optic Nerve
CN III
Oculomotor Nerve
CN IV
Trochlear Nerve
CN V
Trigeminal Nerve
CN VI
Abducens Nerve
CN VII
Facial Nerve
CN VIII
Vestib­ulo­coc­hlear Nerve
CN IX
Glosso­pha­ryngeal Nerve
CN X
Vagus Nerve
CN XI
Accessory Nerve
CN XII
Hypogl­ossal Nerve

General Cranial Nerve Innerv­ations

Cranial Nerve
Motor
Sensory
CN I - Olfactory Nerve
None
Smell
CN II - Optic Nerve
None
Sight
CN III - Oculomotor Nerve
Superior br. - Levator palpebrae superioris m.; Superior rectus m. :: Inferior br. - Medial rectus m.; Inferior rectus m.; Inferior oblique m.; Autonomics - Ciliary m.; Sphincter pupillae m.
None
CN IV - Trochlear Nerve
Superior oblique m.
None
CN V - Trigeminal Nerve
Anterior belly of digastric m.; Mylohyoid m.; Tensor veli palatini m.; Tensor tympani m.; MoM - Temporalis m.; Massester m.; Lateral pterygoid m.; Medial pterygoid m.
Skin of the face; Mucous membranes of the nasal oral cavities; General sensation afferent to anterior 2/3 of tongue (pain)
CN VI - Abducens Nerve
Lateral rectus m.
None
CN VII - Facial Nerve
Stapedius m.; Stylohyoid m.; Posterior belly of digastric m.; MoFE - Secret­omotor to lacrimal, subman­dib­ular, sublin­gual, and mucous glands of the nasal and oral cavities
Taste (SVA) from the anterior 2/3 of the tongue; Part of the skin of the external auditory meatus
CN VIII - Vestib­ulo­coc­hlear Nerve
None
vestib­ular: balanc­e/p­rop­rio­ception (SSA); cochlear: hearing (SSA)
CN IX - Glosso­pha­ryngeal Nerve
Stylop­har­yngeus m.; Secret­omotor to the parotid gland (paras­ymp­ath­etic)
Carotid body, carotid sinus, pharynx, middle ear; Skin of the external ear; Taste from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue
CN X - Vagus Nerve
Intrinsic muscles of the larynx, pharynx (except stylop­har­yng­eus), and palate (except tensor veli palatini); Smooth muscle of the respir­atory tree & gut (proximal to the left colic flexure), heart; secret­omotor: mucous glands of the larynx, respir­atory tree, pharynx and gut; secret­omotor to digestive glands
Skin of the external auditory meatus; Viscera of head, neck, thorax & abdomen proximal to the left colic flexure; Taste from the epiglottis
CN XI - Accessory Nerve
Sterno­cle­ido­mastoid and trapezius mm.
None
CN XII - Hypogl­ossal Nerve
Intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue (except the palato­glossus m.)
None
MoM - Muscles of Mastic­ation
MoFE - Muscles of Facial Expression
  

Cranial Nerve Functions

CN I - Olfactory Nerve
Sensory
CN II - Optic Nerve
Sensory
CN III - Oculomotor Nerve
Motor
CN IV - Trochlear Nerve
Motor
CN V - Trigeminal Nerve
Both
CN VI - Abducens Nerve
Motor
CN VII - Facial Nerve
Both
CN VIII - Vestib­ulo­coc­hlear Nerve
Sensory
CN IX - Glosso­pha­ryngeal Nerve
Both
CN X - Vagus Nerve
Both
CN XI - Accessory Nerve
Motor
CN XII - Hypogl­ossal Nerve
Motor
 

Cranial Foramen

CN I - Olfactory Nerve
Cribriform plate
CN II - Optic Nerve
Optic canal
CN III - Oculomotor Nerve
Superior orbital fissure
CN IV - Trochlear Nerve
Superior orbital fissure
CN V1 - Ophthalmic division of Trigeminal Nerve
Superior orbital fissure
CN V2 - Maxillary division of Trigeminal Nerve
Foramen rotundum
CN V3 - Mandibular division of Trigeminal Nerve
Foramen ovale
CN VI - Abducens Nerve
Superior orbital fissure
CN VII - Facial Nerve
Internal auditory meatus travels through petrous temporal bone leaves via stylom­astoid foramen
CN VIII - Vestib­ulo­coc­hlear Nerve
Internal auditory meatus ~ remains within petrous temporal bone
CN IX - Glosso­pha­ryngeal Nerve
Jugular foramen
CN X - Vagus Nerve
Juglar foramen
CN XI - Accessory Nerve
Jugular forame­n/F­oramen magnum
CN XII - Hypogl­ossal Nerve
Hypogl­ossal canal