Step I Help ID the brainstem cranial nerves!

Ceveelg said:

Ok, anatomy isn't exactly my strong suit, so who wants to help me ID cranial nerves? It sounds like most people have been getting this type of question on their exam recently.

(see attached pic)

Click to expand...

A=3 - interpeduncular
B=5 - midpontine
C=6 - most medial at the pontomedullary jxn
D=7 - lateral to C
E=8 - lateral to D
F=10 - retro-olivary - 9 is above it and 11 is below it..
G=12 - btw pyramid and olive

Looking in most review books are going to help you get it right. BRS Neuroanatomy actually has a list of structures and lesions. Kaplan has a great runthrough for you. If your question is "help me label my diagram", you are likely not at the level of "some quick hints" but might benefit from a read through of some heavy material.

For your sanity, its almost as if the cranial nerves are numbered in the order they originate, top down (except for sneaky 11, dirty cranial-nerve spinal origination wanna be).

Midbrain = 3-4
Pons = 5-8
Medulla = 9-12 (not 11)

And remember that 3 6 and 12 are located medially. The rest are all located laterally.

And 4 is located dorsally

the number of nerves is the number of syllables in the following

ABOVE(1,2), Midbrain(3,4), Pons(5),in between(6,7,8), and medulla(9,10,11,12)

I can always that 5 comes out of the pons so this puts the rest in the right places, the two posts above me are also key to remember. Hope this helps