Peripheral Nervous System Nerves and Pathologies

BIOL 320 Ch.2 TAMU

Spinal Accessory Nerve XI (motor); Innervation

Sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles

Hypoglossal Nerve XII (motor); innervation

Muscles of the tongue

Vagus Nerve X (motor and sensory); Innervation

Both motor and sensory fibers to the visceral body organs

Vagus Nerve X (motor and sensory); Pathology

Dysphagia, vocal cord weakness and alterations of the parasympathetic tone of the thorax and abdomen

Infraorbital Nerve; Innervation

Lower eyelid and upper lip; infraorbital canal

Phrenic Nerve; Innervation

Diaphragm muscles to control breathing; both phrenic nerves run from C3-C5 along the anterior scalene muscle before diving into the thorax to pass between the lungs and heart 

Suprascapular Nerve; Innervation

Supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles; suprascapular notch of the scapula

Subscapular Nerve; Innervation

Subscapularis, teres major, and latissimus dorsi muscles

Axillary Nerve; Innervation

Deltoid and teres minor muscles

Musculocutaneous Nerve; Innervation

Coracobrachialis, biceps brachii, and brachialis muscles

Radial Nerve; Innervation

Triceps Brachii and all muscles of the posterior forearm, sensation to lateral posterior surface of the hand; radial groove of the humerus bone

Radial Nerve; Pathology

When damaged, person cannot draw wrist up; wrist drop

Median Nerve; Innervation

Sensation to the lateral anterior hand

Medial Nerve; Pathology

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome due to compression of nerve

Ulnar Nerve; Innervation

Sensation to the anterior and posterior medial hand, behind the medial epicondyle of the humerus

Ulnar Nerve; Pathology

Superficial and often exposed to contact stimulation and pain in “funny bone”

Long Thoracic Nerve; Innervation

Serratus anterior muscle

Long Thoracic Nerve; Pathology

When damaged, scapula wings out as it can no longer be held against the body wall

Sciatic Nerve; Innervation

Biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus; greater sciatic notch of the pelvis

Tibial Nerve; Innervation

Gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles

Common fibular nerve (common peroneal); Innervation

Anterior muscles of the leg (not the thigh)

Common fibular nerve (common peroneal); Pathology

When damaged, muscles in posterior leg are no longer antagonized by contracting muscles from the anterior leg resulting in an unsynchronized foot drop with each step

Femoral Nerve; Innervation

Rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius muscles

Lateral Cutaneous Nerve; Innervation

Sensation to the lateral thigh

Obturator Nerve; Innervation

Sensation to the medial thigh; obturator foramen of the hip

Saphenous Nerve; Innervation

Sensation to the medial leg and medial ankle/foot

Sympathetic trunk and ganglia; Innervation

Distributes fibers through the ramus communicans for sympathetic influence into spinal nerves