Mnemonic for cranial nerves

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I am a freshman nursing student and in my A and P class we have to learn the 12 cranial nerves. I know that there are a couple little sayings out there to help remember them but I do not remember all of the one I heard before. I know the one was a little sick, but I don't care if it helps me to remember them. I would be very appreciative if someone would reply in the forum or in email if anyone knows what I am talking about or where I could find the sayings.

Thank you very much.

hi! i don't know if you need it anymore, but it might be handy for somebody else. i made up this little poem to remember the names of the 12 cranial nerves. i'm not sure it makes a lot of sense because english is my 2nd language, but here it goes:

old opa occasionally travels triumphantly aboard family vessel_glorious vagabond across hydrous highways.

(opa is german for grandpa)

i hope is helpful to somebody.

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begona said:
hi! I don't know if you need it anymore, but it might be handy for somebody else. I made up this little poem to remember the names of the 12 cranial nerves. I'm not sure it makes a lot of sense because english is my 2nd language, but here it goes:

old opa occasionally travels triumphantly aboard family vessel_glorious vagabond across hydrous highways.

(opa is german for grandpa)

I hope is helpful to somebody.

that's cool in that it discriminates between various letters. I think it's too complex for me to remember, though.

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There is an acronym someting about an Old Olympus.....LOL, that's as far as I got....What I did to memorize the 12 cranial nerves was I listed them in order inside my notebook that I would take with me to clinicals and I'd look at it before clinicals started and after clinicals started.....I also had them inside my textbook and I'd look at them before class and then after class....that is how I memorized them.....Good Luck!

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

'On old olympus towering tops a Fin and German picked some hops'

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I love "Oh once one takes the A&P final very good vacations are heavenly." I just feel that it really fits wen taking an A&P exam!

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Specializes in L&D.

I used this one: "only older octogenarians that take a free viagra get very aroused here."

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my instructor challenged us to form a mnemonics on cranial nerves using the first two letters of each nerve. so i formed this sentence. i hope it will help to memorise all the 12 cranial nerves.

OLympic swimmer's OPtion is to OCcupy during a TRiathlon as a TRiathlete, ABducting his arm, FAcing water VErtically, GLimpsing VAriously to ACcelerate like when a HYena spots a prey.(capital letters represent each cranial nerve) but i will strongly advise that you try to form it by yourself so that you can remember easily.

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Specializes in Case Management, Psychiatric Nursing.

out of order today tomorrow always forever after giving vital signs hourly

After =(acoustic/Vestibulocochlear)

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Specializes in NICU.

This is the one I learned: On Occassion Our Trusty Truck Acts Funny, Very Good Vehicle AnyHow.

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That 12 days of Christmas mnemonic is priceless! LoL!! :chuckle

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My instructor gave the class that old olympus mnemonic, but I created my *own* mnemonic so it could be easier for me to remember:

1.Only

2. Old

3. Olivia

4. Tried

5. To

6. Act

7. Funny

8. Very

9. Good

10. Very

11. Awesome

12. Hurray!

Then I made mnemonics from where the nerves originated and what areas they went through (my instructor wanted us to know this):

Origin:

1. On (olfactory)

2. Every (eye)

3-4. Mountain (midbrain)

5-8. Plays (pons)

8-12. Music (Medualla)

Thru:

1. Children (cribiform)

2. Only (optic foramen)

3, 4, 6. Say- (superior orbital fissure)

5. Funny (foramen ovale)

8-11 Jokes (jugular foramen)

12. Ha! (hypoglossal canal)

*I left out 7. Facial since it goes through 3 areas.

It really helps if you personalize your own mnemonics. I like "The Sound of Music" so it was easier for me to remember the origins of the cranial nerves. Once you come up with your own mnemonics, it really, really helps to write them over and over and over again until you can write them down within 20 seconds without even thinking about it.

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mingez said:

* Another to help remember the types of information these nerves carry (sensory, motor, or both) is thus:

* Some Say Money Matters, But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More.

* Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Bad Business Marry Money.

* Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More.

* Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Boobs Matter More.

* Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Butts Matter More.

* Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Balls Matter More.

* Small Ships Make Money, But My Brother Says Big Boats Make More.

* Some Say Marilyn Monroe, But My Brother Says Bridgette Bardot Mmmm Mmmmm.

* Some Students Make More Bs More Boys Say Bs Bring More Master.

* Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Be Brave Marry Merry.

* Still Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Blatz Beer Makes Money

This is VERY helpful!

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