CRANIAL NERVES – NUCLEI & INTERNAL PATHWAYS 1

WHAT ARE THE 12 CRANIAL NERVES & THE BRAINSTEM NUCLEI ASSOCIATED W/ EACH? WHAT IS THE SENSORY/MOTOR
ORGANIZATION OF THOSE NUCLEI IN THE BRAINSTEM?
NERVE NUCLEI
OLFACTORY SVA (smell)
OPTIC SSA (vision)
OCULUMOTOR Oculomotor (GSE) – eye movement muscles
Edinger-Westphal Nuclei (GVE) – eye accommodation
TROCHLEAR Trochlear Nuclei (GSE) – movement of SO muscle
TRIGEMINAL Motor Nucleus of V (BE) – muscles mastication
Principal Sensory Nucleus of V (GSA)
Mesencephalic Nucleus (GSA) – monitors muscle spindles in
mastication muscles
Spinal Nucleus of V (GSA) – pain
ABDUCENS Abducens Nuclei (GSE)
FACIAL Facial Nucleus (BE)
Superior Salivatory Nucleus (GVE)
Nucleus Solitarius (SVA) – Rostral
Main Sensory & Spinal Nucleus of V (GSA)
VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR Cochlear Nuclei
Vestibular Nuclei
GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL Inferior Salivatory Nucleus (GVE)
Nucleus Ambiguus (BE)
Nucleus Solitarius (GVA) - Caudal
Nucleus Solitarius (SVA) – Rostral
Main Sensory & Spinal Nucleus of V (GSA)
VAGUS Dorsal Motor Nucleus of X (GVE)
Nucleus Ambiguus (BE)
Nucleus Solitarius (GVA) – Caudal
Nucleus Solitarius (SVA) – Rostral
Main Sensory & Spinal Nucleus of V (GSA)
ACCESSORY Accessory Nuclei (GSE)
HYPOGLOSSAL Hypoglossal Nuclei (GSE)
*Rostral Nucleus Solitarius deals w/ taste; Caudal Nucleus Solitarius deals w/ viscera

OCULUMOTOR TROCHLEAR
 2

TRIGEMINAL ABDUCENS

FACIAL VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR
 3

GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL VAGUS

ACCESSORY HYPOGLOSSAL

WHICH CRANIAL NERVES ARE ASSOCIATED W/ SPECIFIC GANGLION?

WHAT ARE THE NAMES?
 Trigeminal System follows rule
o 3 cell bodies
o 1st cell body=Trigeminal Ganglion
 Axons coming from this are called
Trigeminal Tract
o 2nd cell body=Principal Sensory Nucleus of V
 Signal from Trigeminal Tract gets to pons &
goes to 2nd cell body
  Axons coming from 2nd cell body are called Trigemino-Thalamic Tract 4
 Signal will crossover and go to thalamus
o 3rd cell body=VPM
 Axons from VPM go to somatosensory cortex (lateral side)
 Trigeminal System
o Like touch & vibration but has descending tract
o 1st order cell body=Trigeminal Ganglion
 Axons go to Descending Tract of V
o 2nd order cell body=Spinal Nucleus of V (found in caudal medulla)
 Axons coming from this are called Trigemino-thalamic Tract or Trigeminal Lemniscus
o 3rd order cell body=VPM

WHERE IN THE BRAINSTEM IS EACH CRANIAL NERVE & WHERE

ARE THEIR ASSOCIATED NUCLEI LOCATED?
 Abducens is medial
 Most LMN (lower motor neurons) will innervate the side
that they are on
o EXCEPTION=TROCHLEAR
 Only nerve to exit dorsal aspect of
brainstem
  Only LMN that does not innervate the side that it is on (i.e. trochlear crosses over, L will innervate R) 5
 ALL NERVES INNERVATE THE SIDE THEY ARE ON

NERVE WHERE IN BRAINSTEM? ASSOCIATED NUCLEI LOCATION?

OLFACTORY Anterior of Brain N/A
OPTIC Anterior of Brain N/A
OCULOMOTOR Midbrain Midbrain
TROCHLEAR Midbrain Midbrain
TRIGEMINAL Pons Midbrain, Pons & Medulla
ABDUCENS Pons Pons
FACIAL Pons Pons
VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR Pons Pons & Medulla
GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL Medulla Medulla
VAGUS Medulla Medulla
ACCESSORY Medulla Cervical Spinal Cord
HYPOGLOSSAL Medulla Medulla
WHAT ARE THE CLINICAL SYMPTOMS FOUND IN PATIENTS W/ PERIPHERAL CRANIAL NERVE LESION OR LESION TO NUCLEI IN BRAINSTEM?
 Trigeminal System
o Senses touch, pressure, vibration, proprioception from the face
o Trigeminal Ganglion in pons
o Fibers cross upon entering pons
o If lesion @ Principal Sensory Nucleus or Trigeminal Tract=IPSILATERAL
DEFICITS
o If lesion @ Trigemino-thalamic Tract (Trigeminal
Lemniscus)=CONTRALATERAL DEFICITS
 Trigeminal System – pain & temperature from face
o Trigeminal Ganglion in pons
o 2nd cell body is in Caudal Medulla so Fibers cross in caudal medulla
o If lesion @ Descending Tract of V or Spinal Nucleus of V=IPSILATERAL
DEFICITS
o If lesion @ Trigemino-thalamic Tract=CONTRALATERAL DEFICITS
 Trigeminal – Motor Nucleus of V
o Lesion @ Motor Nucleus of V or peripheral axons=IPSILATERAL ATROPHY
OF MUSCLES; jaw will deviate IPSILATERALLY
 Facial Nerve Injury – Bell’s Palsy
o Paralysis of muscles on affected side (IPSILATERAL)
 Vagus
o If lesion @ Nucleus Ambiguus, uvula will deviate to OPPOSITE SIDE of
lesion
 Hypoglossal
o Tongue will deviate to side of lesion