Test 1 - Ortho/Nero

Sensory Cranial Nerves

• these never are responsible for transmitting sensory information from different parts of the body to the brain

• this includes sensations like: smell, sight, taste, hearing, & touch

Example of Sensory Cranial Nerves

• Olfactory nerve (Cranial Never I)

• purely sensory & transmits the sense of smell

Motor Cranial Nevers

• motor nerves control movements by transmitting signals from the brain to muscles or glands

• they enable actions such as: eye movements, facial expressions, chewing, & swallowing

Examples of Motor Cranial Nerves

• Oculomotor Nerve (Cranial Nerve III)

• primary motor & controls eye movements

Mixed Cranial nerves

• Some cranial nerves have both sensory & motor functions

• Meaning they carry sensory information to the brain & motor commands back to the body

Example of Mixed Cranial Nerves

• Facial nerve (Cranial Nerve VII)

• Mixed nerve that enables facial expressions (motor) & carries taste sensations from part of the tongue (sensory)

Nerve I

Olfactory

Nerve II

Optic (vision)

Nerve III

Oculomotor

Nerve IV

Trochlear

Nerve VI

Abducens

Nerve V

Trigeminal

Nerve VII

Facial

Nerve VIII

Auditory/Acoustic/Vestibulocochlear

Nerve IX

Glossopharyngeal

Olfactory (I)

Sensory: smell

Optic (vision) (II)

Sensory: visual acuity, visual fields (pupils)

Oculomotor (III)

Trochlear (IV)

Abducens (VI)

Motor: PERRLA, positions of gaze, eye movements

Trigeminal (V)

• Sensory: light touch to sensation of face (forehead, cheek, jaw)

• Motor: jaw opening, clenching, chewing

Facial (VII)

• Sensory: taste (salt/sweet)

• Motor: facial movements

Auditory/Acoustic/Vestibulocochlear (VIII)

• Sensory: hearing & balance

  • Balance is regulated by sensory input, not motor output from this nerve

Glossopharyngeal (IX)

• Sensory: taste (sour/bitter), gag reflex

• Motor: swallowing, speech sounds

Test for Olfactory (I)

smell familiar odors with eyes closed

Test for Optic (vision) (II)

• snellen test (acuity)

• visual fields (confrontation test)

• pupils - direct vs cons

Test for Oculomotor (III), Trochlear (IV), Abducens (VI)

• assess pupil response to light & accommodation

• corneal light reflex

• follow a finger without moving head - watch eye movements of downward, inward & side-to-side motion

Test for Trigeminal (V)

• touch the face - forehead, check, jaw areas

• movement of the jaw - open & closed jaw; move jaw side-to-side

  • corneal reflex (corneal blink reflex)

Test for Facial (VII)

• taste tests (sweet - sugar water; salty - table salt in water)

• smile, frown, raise eyebrows, squeeze eyes shut, puff cheeks

Test for Auditory/Acoustic/Vestibulocochlear (VIII)

• whisper test

• weber test

• rinne test

• Romberg test (balance)

Test for Glossopharyngeal (IX)

• assess ability to swallow, gag reflex (with tongue blade)

• say “AHH”

• taste test (sour-lemon juice, bitter unsweetened cocoa)

  • see more

Nerve X

Vagus

Nerve XI

Spinal Accessory

Nerve XII

Hypoglossal

Vagus (X)

• Sensory: minor role in bitter taste

• Motor: coughing, swallowing, speech quality

Spinal Accessory (XI)

-Motor: neck motion (turning head, shrugging shoulders)

Hypoglossal (XII)

• Motor: tongue movement

Test for Vagus (X)

• assess ability to swallow, gag reflex (with tongue blade)

• say “AHH”

  • see more

Test for Spinal Accessory (XI)

• shrug shoulders & turn head against resistance

Test for Hypoglossal (XII)

• stick out tongue & move it side to side