Cranial nerve nucleus

Cranial nerve nuclei are groups of neurons (so-called "kernels" or "core areas", nuclei ), the axons of which run in cranial nerves III to XII. Thus, on the one hand nuclei of origin motor cranial nerves (comparable to the motor neurons of the anterior horns of the spinal cord ), on the other hand to correspond to the sensory nuclei of the posterior column of the spinal cord.

The 2nd cranial nerve ( optic nerve ) is actually not a peripheral nerve, but an evagination of the brain, as it is surrounded by the dura mater , arachnoid and pia mater .

The cranial nerves with their nuclei

No.	nerve	Cores	function
I.	Olfactory nerve	-	smell
II	Optic nerve	-	see
III	Oculomotor nerve	Nucleus nervi oculomotorii Nucleus accessorius nervi oculomotorii ( Edinger-Westphal-Kern )	Eye movements
IV	Trochlear nerve	Nucleus nervi trochlearis	Eye movement
V	Trigeminal nerve	Nucleus motorius nervi trigemini Nucleus pontinus nervi trigemini (Nucleus principalis) Nucleus mesencephalicus nervi trigemini Nucleus spinalis nervi trigemini	Sensitive facial care, motorized masticatory muscle care
VI	Abducens nerve	Nucleus nervi abducentis	Eye movement
VII	Nervus intermediofacialis (Nervus intermedius + Nervus facialis)	Nucleus motorius nervi facialis Nucleus salivatorius superior Nucleus tractus solitarii	Facial movement salivary glands taste perception
VIII	Vestibulocochlear nerve	Nuclei cochleares Nuclei vestibulares	Auditory perception balance perception
IX	Glossopharyngeal nerve	Nucleus ambiguus Nucleus salivatorius inferior Nucleus tractus solitarii Nucleus spinalis nervi trigemini	sensitive tongue supply salivary gland taste perception sensorimotor pharynx supply
X	Vagus nerve	Nucleus ambiguus Nucleus dorsalis nervi vagi Nucleus tractus solitarii Nucleus spinalis nervi trigemini	sensorimotor supply of the larynx, viscerosensitive supply of internal organs, visceromotor supply of internal organs
XI	Accessory nerve	Nucleus ambiguus Nucleus spinalis nervi accessorii	motor supply of two neck muscles
XII	Hypoglossal nerve	Nucleus nervi hypoglossi	Tongue movement

The cranial nerve nuclei and the associated cranial nerves

core	quality	Cranial nerve (s)	Afferents	Efferents
Nucleus nervi oculomotorii	somatomotor	Oculomotor nerve	horizontal gaze centers vertical gaze centers Nuclei nervi abducentis	Lid elevator muscle External eye muscles except : - Musculus obliquus superior - Musculus rectus lateralis
Nucleus nervi trochlearis	somatomotor	Trochlear nerve	horizontal gaze centers vertical gaze centers	Superior oblique muscle
Nucleus nervi abducentis	somatomotor	Abducens nerve	horizontal gaze centers	Lateral rectus muscle
Nucleus nervi hypoglossi	somatomotor	Hypoglossal nerve	corticonuclear fibers from the motor cortex	Tongue muscles
Nucleus motorius nervi trigemini	special visceromotor	Trigeminal nerve	corticonuclear fibers from the motor cortex	Masticatory muscles
Nucleus motorius nervi facialis	special visceromotor	Facial nerve	corticonuclear fibers from the motor cortex	facial muscles
Nucleus ambiguus	special visceromotor	Glossopharyngeal nerve Vagus nerve Accessory nerve	corticonuclear fibers from the motor cortex	Pharyngeal muscles larynx muscles
Nucleus nervi accessorii	special visceromotor	Accessory nerve	corticonuclear fibers from the motor cortex	Sternocleidomastoid muscle trapezius muscle
Nucleus accessorius nervi oculomotorii ( Edinger-Westphal-Kern )	general visceromotor	Oculomotor nerve	Area pretectalis superior colliculus	inner, smooth eye muscles
Nucleus salivatorius superior	general visceromotor	Facial nerve	Posterior longitudinal fasciculus from the hypothalamus	Lacrimal glands mucous glands salivary glands
Nucleus salivatorius inferior	general visceromotor	Glossopharyngeal nerve	Posterior longitudinal fasciculus from the hypothalamus	Parotid gland
Nucleus dorsalis nervi vagi	general visceromotor	Vagus nerve	Nuclei tractus solitarii Hypothalamus	Breast viscera abdominal viscera
Nucleus tractus solitarii	especially visceral sensitive (taste) generally visceral sensitive	Facial nerve Glossopharyngeal nerve Vagus nerve	Tongue (taste) breast viscera abdominal viscera	Thalamus vegetative brain stem centers
Nucleus mesencephalicus nervi trigemini	generally somatosensitive	Trigeminal nerve	proprioceptive fibers from the chewing apparatus (via the mandibular nerve)	Nucleus motorii nervi trigemini
Nucleus principalis nervi trigemini	generally somatosensitive	Trigeminal nerve	epicritical-sensitive fibers from the head region	Lemniscus trigemnialis to the thalamus
Nucleus spinalis nervi trigemini	generally somatosensitive	Trigeminal nerve Glossopharyngeal nerve Vagus nerve	protopathically sensitive fibers from the head region protopathically sensitive fibers from the pharynx region	Thalamus
Nuclei cochleares	especially somatosensitive	Vestibulocochlear nerve	Cochlea	Audio track
Nuclei vestibulares	especially somatosensitive	Vestibulocochlear nerve	static organs of the inner ear	Thalamus cerebellum eye muscle nuclei spinal cord

literature

• Lennart Heimer : The Human Brain and Spinal Cord. Functional Neuroanatomy and Dissection Guide . 2nd Edition. Springer, New York 1995, ISBN 0-387-94227-0 (English).
• Martin Trepel : Neuroanatomy. Structure and function . 3. Edition. Urban & Fischer, Munich / Jena, ISBN 3-437-41297-3 .