Are you learning the cranial nerves? Need a way to easily remember the cranial nerves? In this article, I am going to give you two awesome cranial nerve mnemonics to help you remember the order and function of the cranial nerves. One of the mnemonics I made up myself and the other I was taught.
I remember learning the cranial nerves in my anatomy class and I had a hard time just trying to memorize them. I think most people are like you and me and need an easy way to remember. To learn them the best I suggest you:
- Watch my teaching video (below) on how to remember them
- Take the Quiz on Cranial Nerves
Memorize the illustration of the cranial nerves below- Print off this article for reference
Video on How to Remember the Cranial Nerves
Diagram of Cranial Nerves
Function of the Cranial Nerves
- Cranial Nerve I “Olfactory”: smell (try to remember this by thinking of a stinky factory putting out pollution)
- Cranial Nerve II “Optic”: vision (optic is another word for eye and your eyes are responsible for vision)
- Cranial Nerve III “Oculomotor”: moves eyelids, rotates eyeballs, adjust pupils and lens of the eye (oculo deals with the eye and motor mean movement)
- Cranial Nerve IV “Trochlear”: moves eyeballs
- Cranial Nerve V “Trigeminal”: largest of all the cranial nerves and responsible for moving facial muscles by chewing and facial sensations
- Cranial Nerve VI “Abducens”: moves eyeballs
- Cranial Nerve VII “Facial”: produces tears, allows for taste, form facial expressions, saliva production
- Cranial Nerve VIII “Vestibulocochlear”: auditory (remember this by the word cochlear…think of cochlear implants that allow people to hear)
- Cranial Nerve IX “Glossopharyngeal”: swallowing, saliva production, and taste
- Cranial Nerve X “Vagus”: control PNS (peripheral nervous system)
- Cranial Nerve XI “Accessory”: allows head and shoulders movement and allows for swallowing
- Cranial Nerve XII “Hypoglossal”: formulate speech, moving tongue, swallowing
Mnemonic for Order of Cranial Nerves
Old Operators Occasionally Troubleshoot Tricky, Abducted Family Veterans Galloping Valiantly Across History
- Old: Olfactory
- Operators: Optic
- Occasionally: Oculomotor
- Troubleshoot: Trochlear
- Tricky: Trigeminal
- Abducted: Abducens
- Family: Facial
- Veterans: Vestibulocochlear
- Galloping: Glossopharyngeal
- Valiantly: Vagus
- Across: Accessory
- History: Hypoglossal
Mnemonic for Function of Cranial Nerves
Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More
- Cranial I: Sensory
- Cranial II: Sensory
- Cranial III: Motor
- Cranial IV: Motor
- Cranial V: Both (sensory & motor)
- Cranial VI: Motor
- Cranial VII: Both (sensory & motor)
- Cranial VIII: Sensory
- Cranial IX: Both (sensory & motor)
- Cranial X: Both (sensory & motor)
- Cranial XI: Motor
- Cranial XII: Motor
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