TRIGEMINAL & FACIAL NERVE – Concise Lecture Notes
TOPIC: TRIGEMINAL & FACIAL NERVE
I. TRIGEMINAL NERVE (CN V)
👉 Type: Mixed nerve (Motor + Sensory)
👉 Largest cranial nerve; Principal sensory nerve of face
1. ORIGIN
Four nuclei in the pons:
1 Motor nucleus (pons)
3 Sensory nuclei (mesencephalic, main sensory, spinal)
2. DIVISIONS
👉 (Mnemonic: V1, V2, V3 – “Ophthalmic, Maxillary, Mandibular”)
👉 All three divisions arise from trigeminal (semilunar/Gasserian) ganglion.
| Division | Type | Exit | Area Supplied |
|---|---|---|---|
| V1 – Ophthalmic | Sensory | Superior orbital fissure | Forehead, upper eyelid, nose, cornea |
| V2 – Maxillary | Sensory | Foramen rotundum | Cheeks, upper lip, upper teeth, palate |
| V3 – Mandibular | Mixed | Foramen ovale | Lower face, tongue (sensory), muscles of mastication (motor) |
3. MOTOR COMPONENT (V3 only)
👉 Muscles supplied: (Mnemonic: “My Tensors Dig Ants”)
