How I Remember the 12 Cranial Nerves

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Now, we have all heard of the "On Old Olympus" bit as well as the X-rated methods for remembering the 12 cranial nerves, but the one that I use kinda sticks with me for some reason so I thought that I'd share it with you guys. Here goes:

One of our two timing adults found very good values at home.

Also, 3, 4, and 6 make eyes do tricks. You only have 1 nose, so that is olfactory. 5 fills the face and makes you taste. 7 moves the face. 8 fills the ear, so it's acoustic. 9 and 10 on the chin. 11 and 12 stick out your tongue, and then you're done.

I hope that this helps someone. I found it very useful this week in my neuro/mental status assessment.

Specializes in SCRN.

and to remember whether CN's are sensory (S), motor (M) or both (B):

She Says:" Marry Money", But My Brother Says: " Bad Business Marry Money".

Thanks that was cool, after reading once I can remember 3.

I have my own way to remember the cranial nerves. It might be confusing to some but I like it since it uses more than just the first letter of the pneumonic (with the "oh oh oh" I got the order of the first three nerves confused)...

Old-Olfactory

Operas-Optic

Occurred-Oculomotor

To-Trochlear

Try-Trigeminal

And-Abducens

Feature-Facial

Very-Vesticulocochlear

Glorious-Glossopharyngeal

Vagabond-Vagus

Singing-Spinal Accesory

Hippos-Hypoglossal

Maybe there's another person like me who might find this useful. :)

make sure you know the ones that have to do with swallowing and tongue movement, those are the ones that may affect taking meds po.

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