The Special Senses and Cranial Nerves

Flashcards covering key terms and functions related to the special senses and cranial nerves.

Olfactory Nerve (CN I)

Responsible for the sense of smell, originating from the cerebrum.

Optic Nerve (CN II)

Responsible for the sense of sight, originating from the cerebrum.

Oculomotor Nerve (CN III)

Controls eye movement and pupil constriction, originating from the midbrain/pons junction.

Trochlear Nerve (CN IV)

Controls movement of the superior oblique muscle of the eye, originating from the posterior midbrain.

Trigeminal Nerve (CN V)

Mixed nerve responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as biting and chewing, originating from the pons.

Abducens Nerve (CN VI)

Controls lateral movement of the eye, originating from the pons/medulla junction.

Facial Nerve (CN VII)

Controls muscles of facial expression, taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, and salivary gland function, originating from the pons/medulla junction.

Vestibulocochlear Nerve (CN VIII)

Responsible for hearing and balance, originating from the pons/medulla junction.

Glossopharyngeal Nerve (CN IX)

Involved in taste from the posterior one-third of the tongue and swallowing, originating from the medulla.

Vagus Nerve (CN X)

Controls parasympathetic functions of several organs including the heart and digestive tract, originating from the medulla.

Accessory Nerve (CN XI)

Controls neck and shoulder movement, originating from the medulla and upper spinal cord.

Hypoglossal Nerve (CN XII)

Controls tongue movements, originating from the medulla.

Sensory Nerve Function

Nerves that carry sensory information, such as smell and sight.

Motor Nerve Function

Nerves that control movement and muscle contraction.

Mixed Nerve Function

Nerves that carry both sensory and motor information.

Cranial Nerves Overview

12 pairs of nerves that originate directly from the brain and brainstem, involved in various sensory and motor functions.

The Olfactory Pathway

The route sensory signals from olfactory receptors take to the brain via the olfactory bulb.

The Visual Pathway

The path light signals take from the eye through the optic nerve to the visual cortex.

The Gustatory Pathway

The route taste signals traverse from taste buds to the brain.

Auditory Pathway

The series of paths sound signals follow from the outer ear through the brain for processing.

Primary Odours

Seven distinct smells identified by the olfactory system, including camphoraceous and musky.

Basic Tastes

Five primary taste categories detected by taste receptors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.

Semicircular Canals

Structures in the inner ear responsible for balance and detecting head movements.

Tympanic Membrane

Also known as the eardrum, it vibrates in response to sound waves.

Cochlea

The spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear responsible for converting sound vibrations into neural signals.

Larynx

Also known as the voice box, it contains vocal cords and is responsible for sound production.