How to Remember the Cranial Nerves

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

You may also be interested in: Anatomy & Physiology Quizzes