Laboratory in Neuroanatomy
The Cerebral Cortex and the Cranial Nerves
The Cerebral Cortex
Lateral View
Medial View
The insula
The Cranial nerves
(I) Olfactory Nerve– it carries sensory information for the sense of smell into the olfactory cortex. (II) Optic Nerve– it carries the visual information into the optic chiasm. (III) Oculomotor Nerve– It innervates five extrinsic eye muscles (Levator palpebrae superioris, Medial rectus, Superior rectus, Inferior rectus and Inferior oblique). (IV) Trochlear Nerve– It innervates extraocular muscle: superior oblique muscle. (V) Trigeminal Nerve– the larges cranial nerve. It innervates the head and the face. It has three branches: Ophthalmic Branch (Sensory, which innervates the: Cornea, Ciliary body, Conjunctiva, Nasal cavity, Sinuses, Skin of eyebrows, forehead, and nose). Maxillary Branch (Sensory, which innervates the: Side of nose, Lower eyelid, Upper lip). Mandibular Branch (Sensory and Motor, which innervates the: Temporal, Auricular Lower face, Lower lip, Oral Mucosa, Anterior two thirds of Tongue, Mandibular gums and teeth, and the Mastication Muscles. (VI) Abducent Nerve– it a motor nerve that supplies the lateral rectus muscle of the eye. (VII) Facial Nerve– it innervates muscles of the facial expression, of the stapedium and of the middle ear. Its facial motor nucleus is involved in the corneal blink reflex. (VIII) Vestibulocochlear Nerve– it originates as two separate nuclei: the Cochlear nerve (innervates Organ of Corti), and the Vestibular nerve (innervates Semicircular canals). (IX) Glossopharingeal Nerve– process intraoral sensory information. (X) Vagus Nerve– it innervates the Neck, the thorax, and the abdomen. (XI) Spinal Accessory Nerve– it is a motor nerve involved in controlling the head movements. (XII) Hypoglossal Nerve– The hypoglossal nerve supplies the muscles of the tongue.