List of Mnemonics For The Cranial Nerves - Mnemonics For Function

Mnemonics For Function

You have one nose, so the olfactory nerve is CN I, and it controls the sense of smell and innervates the nose.

You have two eyes, so the optic nerve is CN II, which functions to produce vision.

CN VII: A mnemonic for the names of the five branches of the Facial nerve is To Zanzibar By Motor Car, where the five branches are the Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Mandibular and Cervical branches.

The number 8 resembles an ear, so CN VIII, the vestibulocochlear/acoustic nerve is a sensory nerve for hearing.

The number 11 can resemble a pair of arms or shoulders, and CN XI innervates the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles and controls shoulder and neck movements.

The saying The tongue licks the wound is a reminder that when the hypoglossal nerve (CNXII) is damaged, the tongue deviates to the same side of a lesion to the cranial nerve. (eg, if the tongue deviates to the right, the right side of CNXII is damaged).