Functional components of cranial nervesDr. Ashfaqur Rahman

MBBS, MPhil (Anatomy)

Assistant Professor (Anatomy)

Jahurul Islam Medical College

AFFERENT/SENSORY

SOMATIC VISCERAL

GENERAL SPECIAL GENERAL SPECIAL

GSA: Carries general somatic senses (touch, pain, temperature, pressure, vibration) & proprioceptive senses from muscles & joints.

GVA: Carries general senses from viscera. SSA: Carries special senses of vision, hearing & equilibrium. (EYE & EAR).SVA: Carries special senses of smell & taste. (NOSE & TONGUE).

CRANIAL NERVES WITH AFFERENT/SENSORY FIBERSCRANIAL NERVES WITH AFFERENT/SENSORY FIBERSC1,2,5,7,8,9,10C1,2,5,7,8,9,10

((C1,2,8C1,2,8--PURE SENSORYPURE SENSORY))

((C5,7,9,10C5,7,9,10--MIXEDMIXED))

((C1,2,7,8,9,10C1,2,7,8,9,10--SPECIALSPECIAL SENSE CARRYING CRANIAL NERVESSENSE CARRYING CRANIAL NERVES ) )

FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS of cranial nervesFUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS of cranial nerves

EFFERENT/MOTOR

SOMATIC VISCERAL

GENERAL SPECIAL GENERAL SPECIAL

GSE: Supplies skeletal muscles of somatic (somite/myotome) origin.GVE: Supplies smooth muscles, cardiac muscles & glands (autonomic).SVE: Supplies skeletal muscles of visceral/branchial/pharyngeal arch origin.

CRANIAL NERVES WITH EFFERENT/MOTOR FIBERSCRANIAL NERVES WITH EFFERENT/MOTOR FIBERSC3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12C3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12

((C3,4,6,11,12C3,4,6,11,12--PURE MOTORPURE MOTOR))

((C5,7,9,10C5,7,9,10--MIXEDMIXED))

((C3,7,9,10C3,7,9,10--PARASYMPATHETICPARASYMPATHETIC CARRYING CRANIAL NERVESCARRYING CRANIAL NERVES))

Note: Functional components of spinal nerve are-GSE, GVE, GSA, GVA.GVE components of spinal nerve are mainly sympathetic fibers, whereas GVE

components of cranial nerves are exclusively parasympathetic fibers.

Extraocular muscles 5Extraocular muscles 5(Skeletal muscle of (Skeletal muscle of

non-arch origin)non-arch origin)

Main motor nucleusMain motor nucleus

GSEGSE

Intraocular muscles 2Intraocular muscles 2(Smooth muscle)(Smooth muscle)

GVEGVE

Ciliary ganglionCiliary ganglion

Edinger-Westphal nucleusEdinger-Westphal nucleus

Extraocular muscles 1Extraocular muscles 1(Skeletal muscle of(Skeletal muscle of

non-arch origin)non-arch origin)

Trochlear nucleusTrochlear nucleus

GSEGSE

Extraocular muscles 1Extraocular muscles 1(Skeletal muscle of(Skeletal muscle of

non-arch origin)non-arch origin)

GSEGSE

Abducent nucleusAbducent nucleus

Muscles of 1Muscles of 1stst arch arch(Skeletal muscle of (Skeletal muscle of

arch origin)arch origin)

SVESVE

Motor nucleus Motor nucleus Mesencephalic Mesencephalic nucleusnucleus

GSAGSA

Trigeminal ganglionTrigeminal ganglion

Main sensory Main sensory nucleusnucleus

Proprioceptive Proprioceptive sensationsensation

(muscles of (muscles of mastication, mastication,

face, tongue, orbit)face, tongue, orbit)

Touch & pressureTouch & pressure sensation (from sensation (from trigeminal area)trigeminal area)

SpinalSpinalnucleusnucleus

Pain & temperature sensationPain & temperature sensation(from trigeminal area and (from trigeminal area and

also from glossopharyngeal also from glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve)and vagus nerve)

GSAGSA GSAGSA

Muscles of 2Muscles of 2ndnd arch arch(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)

SVESVE

Motor nucleus Motor nucleus

Lacrimal glandLacrimal glandNasal, palatine & Nasal, palatine &

oral glandoral gland

GVEGVE

Superior salivatory nucleusSuperior salivatory nucleus

Pterygo-palatine ganglionPterygo-palatine ganglion

Lacrimatory nucleusLacrimatory nucleus

Submandibular & Submandibular & sublingual sublingual

and other minor and other minor salivary glandsalivary gland

GVEGVE

Submandibular ganglionSubmandibular ganglion

Nucleus of tractus Nucleus of tractus solitariussolitarius

SVASVA

Spinal nucleus of Spinal nucleus of 55thth nerve nerve

GSAGSAGVAGVA

Taste sensationTaste sensation (ant 2/3(ant 2/3rd rd of of

tongue)tongue)

General sensation General sensation glands supplied glands supplied by motor fibersby motor fibers

External External EarEar

Meninges of Meninges of PCFPCF

Geniculate ganglionGeniculate ganglion

Muscles of 3Muscles of 3rdrd arch arch (stylopharyngeus)(stylopharyngeus)

(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)

SVESVE

Parotid gland Parotid gland

GVEGVE

Taste sensationTaste sensation(post 1/3(post 1/3rd rd of tongueof tongue

& adjacent & adjacent pharyngeal wall)pharyngeal wall)

SVASVA

Inferior ganglionInferior ganglion

GVAGVA

General sensation General sensation from tongue from tongue

(post 1/3), soft palate, (post 1/3), soft palate, oropharynx, oropharynx,

Tympanic cavity, Tympanic cavity, auditory tube, auditory tube,

carotid body, sinuscarotid body, sinus

Nucleus of tractus solitariusNucleus of tractus solitarius

Superior ganglionSuperior ganglion

GSAGSA

General somatic General somatic sensationsensation

(pain, touch, temp) from (pain, touch, temp) from external ear, meninges external ear, meninges

of PCFof PCF

Spinal nucleus of 5Spinal nucleus of 5thth nerve nerveMotor nucleus Motor nucleus ((nucleus ambiguus)

Inferior salivatory nucleusInferior salivatory nucleus

Otic ganglionOtic ganglion

Muscles of 4Muscles of 4th th & 6& 6thth arch arch(Muscles of pharynx, larynx & (Muscles of pharynx, larynx &

soft palate with few exceptions)soft palate with few exceptions)(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)

Motor nucleus Motor nucleus (Nucleus ambiguus)(Nucleus ambiguus)

SVESVE

Thoracic & abdominal Thoracic & abdominal organsorgans

Glands of pharyngeal Glands of pharyngeal & laryngeal mucosa & laryngeal mucosa

GVEGVE

Intramural ganglionIntramural ganglion

Dorsal nucleusDorsal nucleus

Taste sensationTaste sensation (most post part of(most post part of

tongue/epiglottistongue/epiglottis))

SVASVA

Inferior ganglionInferior ganglion

GVAGVA

General sensation General sensation from from

laryngo-pharyngeal laryngo-pharyngeal and laryngeal and laryngeal

mucosa, mucosa, Viscera of thorax, Viscera of thorax,

abdomen. CBabdomen. CB

Nucleus of tractus solitariusNucleus of tractus solitarius

Superior ganglionSuperior ganglion

GSAGSA

General sensation General sensation from external earfrom external ear

Meninges of posterior Meninges of posterior cranial fossacranial fossa

Spinal nucleus of 5Spinal nucleus of 5thth nerve nerve

Cranial accessory nucleusCranial accessory nucleus

SVESVE

Muscles of soft palate, pharynx and larynxMuscles of soft palate, pharynx and larynx(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)(Skeletal muscle of arch origin)

Spinal accessory nucleusSpinal accessory nucleus

Sternocleidomastoid and TrapeziusSternocleidomastoid and Trapezius(Skeletal muscle)(Skeletal muscle)

SVESVE

Muscles of the tongue Muscles of the tongue developed from occipital myotomedeveloped from occipital myotome(Skeletal muscle of non-arch origin)(Skeletal muscle of non-arch origin)

Hypoglossal nucleusHypoglossal nucleus

GSEGSE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

OLFACTORY NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

OPTIC NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

OCULOMOTOR NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

TROCHLEAR NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

TRIGEMINAL NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

ABDUCENT NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

FACIAL NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

VESTIBULOCHCHLEAR NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

VAGUS NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

ACCESSORY NERVE

SVE GSE GVE

SVA GVA SSA GSA

HYPOGLOSSAL NERVE