CRANIAL FOSSA—Superior View
Anterior Fossa: Frontal lobe
(orbital plate)
Middle Fossa: Temporal lobe
Posterior Fossa: (lower centers)
Cerebellum, Pons, Medulla Oblongata
Petrous Ridge of Temporal bone
Lesser Wing (superior in pic)
Greater Wing: (inferior in pic)
Sphenoid Bone
Lab 6/Q9 Scrapbook
NOTE: Missing from this view: External Auditory Meatus, Superior/Inferior Orbital Fissures, Supraorbital Fissure, Infraorbital Fissure,
Lacrimal Foramen, Mental Foramen, Mandibular Foramen, Stylomastoid Foramen.
CRANIAL FORAMINA I — Superior View
Foramen Ovale: Sphenoid Bone
Mandibular N. (V3)
Hypoglossal Canal:
Occipital Bone
Hypoglossal N. (XII) Jugular Foramen:
At suture betw.
Temporal and
Occipital Bones
Glossophanyngeal N. (IX)
Vagus N. (X)
Spinal Accessory N. (XI) (exits)
Internal Jugular Vein
Foramen Magnum:
Occipital Bone
Spinal Accessory N. (X) (enters)
Vertebral Arteries (enter)
Medulla Oblongata
Foramen Rotundum:
Sphenoid Bone
Maxillary N. (V)
Optic Canal (approx. location)
Sphenoid Bone
Optic N. (II)
Orbital Plate (Frontal Bone)
Crista Galli (Ethmoid Bone)
Cribriform Plate: Ethmoid Bone
Olfactory N. (I)
Internal Auditory Meatus:
Temporal Bone
Facial N. (VII),
Vestibulocochlear N. (VIII)
(also called:
statoacoustic, acoustic, auditory)
CRANIAL FORAMINA 2
Inferior Orbital Fissure
(follow red straw)
Sphenoid, Maxilla, Palatine,
Zygomatic bones
Maxillary N. (V2) coming from foramen
rotundum - will go to infraorbital
foramen last)
Superior Orbital Fissure
(follow red straw)
Sphenoid Bone
Oculomotor N. (III)
Trochlear N. (IV)
Ophthalmic N. (V1) will pass through
supraorbital foramen last
Abducens N. (VI)
Optic Canal
(follow red straw)
Sphenoid Bone
Optic N. (II)
Supraorbital Foramen (notch)
Frontal Bone
Ophthalmic N. (V1)
First passes through sup. orbital fissure.
Mental Foramen
Mandible
Mandibular N. (V3) (Last foramen for V3 Previous:
foramen ovale & mandibular
foramen
Infraorbital Foramen
Maxillary Bone
Maxillary N. (V2) 3rd/last foramen. Previous:
foramen rotundum &
superior orbital fissure
Lacrimal Foramen/Canal
Lacrimal Bone
holds the lacrimal duct. The
duct serves to conduct the fluid
from the eye into the nasal
cavity. The duct is sometimes
called the nasolacrimal duct
Mandibular Foramen
Mandible
Mandibular N. (V3) Second of 3 foramen for V3 Order: foramen
ovale, mandibular, mental. Dentists usually try
to anesthetize this nerve near this foramen when
working on teeth in the mandible.
External Auditory Meatus
Temporal Bone Functionally important because sound
enters the ear through this canal and comes in
contact with the tympanic membrane
(ear drum) at its deep end.
Stylomastoid Foramen
Temporal Bone (Near /posterior to styloid process.)
Facial N. (VII) Second of the two foramina it passes
through. First was internal auditory meatus.
# Name Foramina / bone(s) Function
I Olfactory Cribriform plate of ethmoid S - smell
II Optic Optic canal of sphenoid E - S - vision
III Oculomotor Superior orbital fissure of sphenoid
E - P- M - muscles of the eyes except lateral rectus and superior oblique; parasympathetic- sphincter of
pupil and ciliary muscle of the lens
IV Trochlear Superior orbital fissure of sphenoid E - M - Superior oblique of eye
V Trigeminal B - see below for details
V1- Ophthalmic Superior orbital fissure of sphenoid, then supraorbital foramen of frontal
E - S - cornea, nasal mucous membrane, skin of face
V2- Maxillary
Foramen rotundum of sphenoid, inferior orbital fissure (sphenoid, maxilla, pala-
tine, and zygomatic) then infraorbital foramen of maxilla
S - skin of face , oral cavity, teeth
V3 - Mandibular
Foramen ovale of sphenoid, mandibular foramen of mandible, then mental
foramen of mandible
B - MOTOR to muscle of mastication; SENSORY to skin of face, teeth, anterior 2/3 of tongue ( general
senses, NOT taste)
VI Abducens Superior orbital fissure of sphenoid E - M - lateral rectus of eye
VII Facial Internal auditory meatus of temporal,
then stylomastoid foramen of temporal
P - B - MOTOR to muscle of facial expression; SENSORY to anterior 2/3 of tongue(taste);
parasympathetic to lacrimal, mandibular and sublingual glands
VIII Vestibulo-
cochlear Statoacoustic, auditory, or acoustic S - see below for details
Vestibular Internal auditory meatus of temporal S - equilibrium
Cochlear Internal auditory meatus of temporal S - hearing
IX Glosso -
pharyngeal Jugular foramen between temporal and
occipital
P - B - MOTOR to stylopharyngeus muscle; SENSORY to posterior 1/3 of tongue (general sens-es and taste, pharynx, branch to carotid sinus; para-
sympathetic to parotid gland
X Vagus Jugular foramen between temporal and
occipital
P - B - MOTOR to pharynx and larynx; SENSORY to pharynx ( including taste to epiglottis) and larynx,
thoracic and abdominal organs; parasympathetic to thoracic and abdominal viscera
XI Accessory
Exits via Jugular foramen (suture btw. temporal & occipital), enters cranium
via foramen magnum
M - trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles
XII Hypoglossal Hypoglossal canal of occipital M - muscles of the tongue
Green Nerve
S Sensory
M motor
B Mixed. MOTOR and SENSORY
P parasympathetic
E vision
Q 9 CRANIAL NERVE MATRIX II
CRANIAL FOSSA—practice
SUPERIOR VIEW
CRANIAL FORAMINA—practice
SUPERIOR VIEW
CRANIAL FORAMINA II—practice
Source: Louis J.Zanella, The Human Body - An Owners Manual - 1995, Modified by William C. Johnson (Dr. J) - 2007
Gender Differences in Skull Anatomy
Trait Male Female
General
Size (not that it matters!) larger, heavy boned small, light boned
Character rugged, ridged delicate, smooth
Cranium
Forehead steep, flat rounded
Eminences small large
Supra-orbital ridges medium to large medium to small
Face
Orbit shape squared rounded
Orbit margins rounded, blunt edges sharp edges
Cheekbones
Size (not that it matters!) large, heavy small, delicate
Shape laterally arched, ridge extends be-
yond ext. auditory meatus
compressed arch, ridge extends
to ext. auditory meatus
Palate broad, tends to U shape narrow, tends to parabola
Mandible
Size and shape large, squared chin small, pointed chin
Symphysis taller than body same height as body
Angle <125o >125o
Ramus broad, outward flare narrow, more vertical
Inferior surface
Nuchal lines marked, distinct slight, indistinct
External occipital protuberance marked slight
Occipital condyles large, broad small, narrow
Mastoid process large small
