Nerve
Foramina
CNI: Olfactory
Cribiform Plate
Receptor cells in olfactory epithelium overlying superior concha; special sensory - smell
CNII: Optic
Optic chiasma
Axons of ganglion cells in retina --> optic nerve --> medial fibers cross to opposite side and lateral
fibers stay on the same side at the optic chiasma; special sensory - vision
CNIII: Oculomotor
Sup. Orbital Fissure
Superior branch --> superior rectus and levator palpebrae superioris mm.; somatic motor
Inferior branch --> medial rectus, inferior rectus, and inferior oblique mm; somatic motor
Parasympathetic motor root: pre-ganglionic parasympathetic fibers
CILIARY GANGLION
Short ciliary nerves: post-ganglionic parasympathetic fibers to sphincter pupillae and ciliary mm.
CNIV: Trochlear
Sup. Orbital Fissure
superior oblique m.; somatic motor
CNVI: Abducent
Sup. Orbital Fissure
lateral rectus m.; somatic motor
Cochlear: from spiral ganglion in cochlea; special sensory - hearing
CNVIII:
Vestibulocochlear
Internal Acoustic
Meatus
Vestibular: from vestibular ganglon in semicircular canals; special sensory - balance
Cranial root: Joins Vagus and is considered part of it
CNXI: Accessory
Jugular Foramen
Spinal root: branchiomotor to sternomastoid and trapezius mm.
CNXII: Hypoglossal
Hypoglossal Canal
All tongue muscles, except palatoglosseus; somatic motor
CNV: Trigeminal
Parasympathetic sensory root: passes through the
ciliary ganglion; sensory innervation of eyeball
Long ciliary nn: sympathetic fibers to dilator pupillae
Nasociliary
Anterior ethmoidal: anterior cranial fossa, nasal
cavity, tip of nose
Posterior ethmoidal: posterior ethmoidal air cells and
sphenoidal sinus
V1: Opthalmic
Infratrochlear: superomedial corner of orbit, lacrimal
sac, upper half of nose
Sup. Orbital Fissure
Supra-orbital: conjuctiva, upper eyelid, forehead and
scalp
Frontal nerve
Supra-troclear: conjuctiva, upper eyelid, lower medial
forehead
Lacrimal nerve: lacrimal gland, conjunctiva, and lateral part of the upper eyelid
Zygomatic
V2: Maxillary
Zygomaticotemporal: temple
Zygomaticofacial: anterolateral surface of cheeks
Foramen Rotundum
Superior alveolar nn --> superior dental plexus: upper teeth and adjacent gingivae
Ganglionic branches
Infra-orbital
Nasal branches: external nose
Palpebral branches: lower eyelid
Superior Labial branches: upper lip and cheek
PTERYGOPALATINE GANGLION
Orbital branches: orbital wall, sphenoidal and ethmoidal sinuses
Nerve of Pterygoid Canal
Greater Petrosal:
pre-ganglionic
parasympathetic
fibers
Greater and Lesser Palatine nn: mucosa and glands of hard palate
Posterior inferior nasal nerves: lateral nasal wall
Deep Petrosal:
post-ganglionic
sympathetic fibers
from T1
Nasal nn: lateral wall of nasal cavity and nasal septum
Nasopalatine: Nasal septum, anterior hard palate
Facial Nerve (CNVII)
Internal Carotid nerve
Pharyngeal: mucosa and glands of the nasopharynx
Superior Cervical ganglion
T1 Spinal nerve
* postganglionic parasympathetic and sympathetic fibers originating from pterygopalatine fibers pass superiorly through the ganglionic branches to enter the main
trunk of the maxillary nerve to be distributed with the zygomatic, superior alveolar, and infra-orbital nerves
Approximately midway along the orbital wall the postganglionic parasympathetic and sympathetic fibers leave the zygomaticotemporal branch to form a special
autonomic branch which joins the lacrimal nerve of the opthalmic nerve to innervate the lacrimal gland
Meningeal Branch: dura mater of middle cranial fossa
Nerve to Medial Pterygoid: medial pterygoid m.; branchiomotor
Nerve to Tensor Veli Palitini; branchiomotor
Nerve to Tensor Tympani; branchiomotor
Anterior Trunk
V3: Mandibular
Buccal: cheek (internal and external), oral mucosa
Deep temporal nn: temporalis m.; branchiomotor
Masseteric: masseter m; branchiomotor
Nerve to Lateral Pterygoid: lateral pterygoid m.;
branchiomotor
Auriculotemporal: temple, external ear, external
auditory meatus, tympanic membrane and TMJ
Foramen Ovale
Post-gang. parasympathetics to
parotid gland
OTIC GANGLION
Inferior Alveolar: lower teeth and associated gingivae,
lower lip, chin
Lesser Petrosal: pre-gang.
parasympathetics
Tympanic plexus
Posterior Trunk
Tympanic nerve
Glossopharyngeal (CNIX)
Nerve to mylohyoid:
mylohyoid, anterior belly of
digastric; branchiomotor
Incisive nerve: premolar,
incisor, canine teeth
Mental nerve: lower lip, chin
Lingual: anterior 2/3 of tongue, mucosa of floor of
mouth, gingivae of lower teeth
Chorda Tympani: taste from
anterior 2/3 of tongue, pre-gang.
parasympathetics
Facial nerve (CNV)
SUBMANDIBULAR GANGLION
post-gang. parsympathetics to sublingual and
submandibular salivary glands
Nervus Intermedius: Sensory root of facial nerve; includes parasympathetics
Geniculate Ganglion: site of sensory cell bodies
Greater Petrosal: Taste fibers from mucous membrane of palate; pre-gang
parasympathetics to nasal and palatine mucosa, and lacrimal gland
Nerve of Pterygoid Canal
PTERYGOPALATINE GANGLION
CNVII: Facial
Chorda Tympani: Taste from anterioR 2/3 of tongue, pre-gang
parasympathetics to all salivary glands below oral fissure
Internal Acoustic
Meatus
Lingual nerve
SUBMANDIBULAR GLAND
Stylomastoid
Foramen
Branchiomotor root
Posterior Auricular: occipital belly of occipitofrontalis m., posterior auricular
m. of ear
Nerve to posterior belly of digastric and stylohyoid mm
Muscles of Facial Expression
Temporal branches: muscles of temple, forehead,
and supra-orbital area
Zygomatic branches: muscles in infra-orbital area,
lateral nasal area, and upper lip
Buccal branches: muscles in cheek, upper lip, and
corner of mouth
Marginal Mandibular branches: muscles of lower lip
and chin
Cervical branches: platysma
Nerve to Stapedius Muscle
CNIX:
Glossopharyngeal
Superior and Inferior Ganglia: sensory neuron cell bodies
Jugular Foramen
Carotid Sinus nerve: baroreceptors of carotid sinus and chemoreceptors of
carotid body
Visceral sensory branches to posterior 1/3 of tongue, soft palate, and
palatine tonsils
Visceral sensory branches to upper pharynx via contribution to pharyngeal
plexus (joins sympathetic and vagus branches)
Special sensory - Taste from posterior 1/3 of tongue
Branchiomotor branch to stylopharyngeus muscle
Tympanic nerve
Tympanic plexus (on promontory of middle ear): sensory innervation to
mucosa of cavity, auditory tube, and mastoid air cells
Lesser Petrosal: pre-ganglionic parasympathetics to parotid gland
OTIC GANGLION
Superior Ganglion: cell bodies of general somatic sensory neurons
CNX: Vagus
Jugular Foramen
Auricular: general sensory from external acoustic meatus and auricle
Inferior Ganglion: cell bodies of special and visceral sensory neurons
Sinus nerve: aortic body chemoreceptors and aortic arch baroreceptors
Pharyngeal branch: branchiomotor to pharyngeal constrictors, soft palate
(except tensor veli palatini)*
Pharyngeal plexus
Superior Laryngeal
External Laryngeal: branchiomotor to inferior
constrictor and cricothyroid mm.
Internal Laryngeal: visceral sensory and
parasympathetics to mucosa of larynx above the vocal
folds
Recurrent Laryngeal: branchiomotor to all laryngeal mm except cricothyroid;
visceral sensory from and parasympathetics to lower larynx
Branches to thoracic and abdominal viscera as far as the left colic flexure
Visceromotor: preganglionic parasympathetics to
organs in neck, thorax and abdomen
Secretomotor to glands in neck, thorax and abdomen
Visceral afferents from mucosa in lower pharynx,
larynx, viscera in thorax and abdomen
* the motor fibers of pharyngeal branch are from the accessory nerve and are often described as "11 via 10" (i.e. accessory via vagus)
