Cranial Nerve VIII
Neuroanatomy block-Anatomy-Lecture 11
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Objectives
At the end of the lecture, students should be able to:
01 List the nuclei related to vestibular and cochlear nerves in the
brain stem.
02 Describe the type and site of each nucleus.
03 Describe the vestibular pathways and its main connections.
04 Describe the auditory pathway and its main connection.
●
Color guide
Only in boys slides in Green
● Only in girls slides in Purple
● important in Red
● Notes in Grey
8th CN: Vestibulocochlear
● Type: Special sensory (SSA).
● located: in pons & medulla.
● receiving:special afferent sensation, hearing & equilibrium from inner ear),
● Conveys: impulses from inner ear to nervous system.
● Components:
conveys impulses
Vestibular part associated with body
posture ,balance and
conveys impulses coordination of head &
associated with Cochlear part eye movements.
hearing.
01 02 03
Vestibular & cochlear parts run laterally in enter the internal
leave the ventral surface of posterior cranial acoustic meatus along
brain stem through the fossa. with (lateral to) 7th
pontomedullary sulcus (facial) nerve.
‘at cerebellopontine angle’
(lateral to facial nerve).
3
According to the boys slides
1st. Vestibular Nerve Pathway
First order neurons Second order neurons Axons of vestibular nuclei may
● Cells of Superior, Lateral, Medial & 1. Descend as lateral vestibulospinal tract to
● Cells of Vestibular ganglion located in anterior horn cells of spinal cord.
Internal Auditory Meatus. Inferior Vestibular Nuclei in
medulla & pons. 2. Join medial longitudinal fasciculus & descend as
● Axons make dendritic contacts with hair medial vestibulospinal tract to anterior horn
cells in vestibule & semicircular canals. ● Vestibular nuclei belong to special
somatic afferent column in brain cells of spinal cord.
stem (The nuclei of the last 10 cranial 3. Pass through inferior cerebellar peduncle to
nerves are arranged in 7 columns in each flocculonodular lobe of cerebellum.
side of the middle line in the brain stem, 4. Cross midline & ascend to ventral posterior
there are medial 3 column contain motor nucleus of thalamus then to vestibular area in
nuclei and the lateral 4 column contain
cerebral cortex.
sensory nuclei.
3 1
2
4
1st. Vestibular Nerve Pathway vestibular nuclei
belong to special
somatic afferent
column in brain
According to the girls slides
stem.
The cell bodies (1st order neurons)
located in the vestibular ganglion within the
internal auditory meatus.
The Central processes
The Peripheral processes
(form the vestibular nerve)
(vestibular nerve fibers):
make dendritic contact with hair ‘’Efferent Fibres’’:
cells of the membranous labyrinth
(inner ear).
Mostly end up in
Some fibers
the lateral, medial, inferior and superior
go to the cerebellum through the
vestibular nuclei (2nd order neurons) of
inferior cerebellar peduncle
the rostral medulla, located beneath the
lateral part of the floor of 4th ventricle.
The Axons from the vestibular Nuclei may project to:
1. Ipsilateral 2. Bilaterally 3. Bilaterally 4. To Motor neurons of the
flocculonodular lobe of to ventral posterior nucleus to motor nuclei of cranial spinal cord
cerebellum of thalamus nerves as lateral (Ipsilateral)
(vestibulo-cerebellar tract) which in turn project to the (vestibulo-ocular tract) directly & medial
through inferior cerebellar cerebral cortex . through medial longitudinal vestibulospinal (Bilaterally)
peduncle. ★ For conscious awareness. fasciculus. tracts through MLF.
★ For Balance. ★ For coordination of head ★ for control body posture.
& eye movements.
5
Medial Longitudinal Vestibulospinal Tracts
Fasciculus
● Extends through out the brain stem and formed of both ● Vestibulospinal fibers influence the activity of spinal motor
descending & ascending fibers neurons concerned with the control of body posture and balance.
● Projects bilaterally
● Has two components:
two tracts
ascending component descending component
(vestibulo-ocular) lateral medial
extends into the spinal
establishes connections
cord as the medial
with the nuclei of the
vestibulospinal tract to
Oculomotor, Trochlear &
anterior horn cell. arises from lateral vestibular descending part
Abducens nerves (motor
★for control the body (Deiter’s) nucleus, of the medial longitudinal
nuclei for extraocular
posture and balance .
muscles) descends ipsilaterally fasciculus, projects bilaterally.
★ for coordination of
head & eye movements.
6
Vestibular Cortex
01 Located in the lower part of
postcentral gyrus (head
area).
Responsible for conscious
awareness of vestibular
sensation.
02
7
2nd. Auditory Pathway
According to the boys slides
First order neurons Second order neurons Third order neurons
● Cells of spiral ganglion in the ● Cells of dorsal & ventral cochlear nuclei in pons ● Cells of inferior colliculus (midbrain)
cochlea.Axons form cochlear . ● Both colliculi are interconnected by
nerve. commissural fibers.
● Cochlear nuclei belong to special somatic
● Cochlear nerve makes dendritic afferent column in brain stem.
contact with hair cells of Organ
of Corti(in Cochlear Duct). ● On ascending, most of axons decussate in the
trapezoid body & form lateral leminiscus. Fourth order neurons
● Some fibers end in Superior Olivary Nucleus & ● Cells of medial geniculate nucleus
Nucleus of Lateral Leminiscus. (thalamus). Axons form auditory
radiation that pass through
● Superior Olivary Nucleus & Nucleus of Lateral retrolenticular part of internal
Leminiscus: modulate transmission of auditory capsule.
information to cochlear nerve by: ● Ends in primary auditory cortex
1. Sending inhibitory fibers through (superior temporal gyrus) which is
vestibulocochlear nerve ending in Organ of connected to auditory association
Corti. cortex.
2. Establishing connection with motor
neurons supplying tensor tympani &
stapedius muscles
N.B. : Representation of cochlea is bilateral at all levels above cochlear nuclei
8
According to the girls slides
2nd. Auditory Pathway Cochlear nuclei belong
to special somatic
afferent column in
brain stem.
There are several locations between Representation of cochlea is
It is a
medulla and the thalamus where bilateral at all levels above
multisynaptic
axons may synapse and not all the cochlear nuclei, so Hearing is
pathway
fibers behave in the same manner bilaterally represented.
The cell bodies (1st order neurons)
are located in the spiral ganglion within the
cochlea (organ of Corti in inner ear).
The Central processes
The Peripheral processes
(Cochlear nerve fiber)
● Make dendritic contact ● Terminate in the dorsal and ventral
with hair cells of the organ cochlear nuclei (2nd order neurons), which
of Corti within the cochlear lie close to the inferior cerebellar peduncle
duct of inner ear. (ICP) in open rostral medulla.
9
Auditory Pathway cont..
According to the girls slides
● From the cochlear nuclei (2nd order neurons) fibres
ascend into the pons, where:
Most fibers cross the midline in Some fibers run ipsilaterally
trapezoid body and terminate in and terminate in
the contralateral the superior olivary
the nucleus of
superior olivary nucleus (2)
trapezoid body (1)
nucleus (2)
● From the superior olivary nuclei, ascending fibers
comprise the lateral lemniscus (3) containing both
crossed (mainly) direct (few)
cochlear fibres cochlear fibres
, which runs through tegmentum of pons
and terminate in the inferior colliculus (4)
of the midbrain (3rd order neurons)
10
Auditory Pathway cont..
According to the girls slides
● Some axons within lateral lemniscus terminate in small nucleus of
the lateral lemniscus (5)
● The inferior colliculi project to medial geniculate nuclei (6) (4th
order neurons) of thalamus
● The axons originating from the medial geniculate nucleus
(auditory radiation) pass through sublenticular part of the
internal capsule to the primary auditory cortex (Brodmann’s areas
41, 42) (7) located in the dorsal surface of the superior temporal
gyrus (Heschl’s gyrus)
➔ The region surrounding the primary auditory cortex is
known as the auditory association cortex or Wernick’s area
(Brodmann’s areas 22)
➔ Wernick’s area is related to recognition and processing of
language by the brain.
11
Found only in girl’s slides
Other Functions of some nuclei
1 Superior olivary nucleus
Sends olivocochlear fibers to end in organ of Corti through the
vestibulocochlear nerve. These fibers are inhibitory in function and serve to
modulate transmission of sound to the cochlear nerve.
2 Superior olivary nucleus & the nucleus of the lateral lemniscus
Establish reflex connections with motor neurons of trigeminal and facial motor
nuclei mediating contraction of tensor tympani and stapedius muscles as they
reduce the amount of sound that gets into the inner ear in response to loud noise.
3 Inferior colliculus
establish reflex connections with motor neurons in the cervical spinal segments (via
tectospinal tract) for the movement of head and neck in response to auditory
stimulation.
Clinical Notes
Lesion of vestibulocochlear nerve. Rostral to the cochlear nuclei Acoustic neuroma
The representation of cochlea is essentially
Complete Deafness
produces deafness (disturbance of Of the affected ear is Benign tumour of 8th nerve
bilateral at all levels.
cochlear nerve functions), tinnitus, leads to compression of the
So, Lesions anywhere along the pathway essentially only caused by
vertigo, dizziness, nausea, nystagmus, usually have no obvious effect on hearing, nerve leading to attacks of
loss of balance and ataxia (disturbance damage to the middle ear ,
producing weakness of hearing in both ears dizziness, and profound
vestibular nerve function). but mostly in the opposite ear.
cochlea, or auditory nerve. deafness and ataxia
12
Practice Q5: The vestibular nuclei are connected to the oculomotor nuclei through:
Q1: Regarding the vestibular pathway: A. The medial longitudinal fasciculus
A. The vestibular ganglion is located in the middle ear. B. The lateral leminiscus
B. The vestibular nuclei are located in the midbrain. C. The lateral vestibulospinal tract
C. The vestibular nuclei are connected to the cerebellum. D. The vestibular nerve
D. The vestibulospinal tracts are located in the lateral white column of spinal cord. Q6:The primary auditory cortex is located in?
Q2: The central processes of cochlear nerve fibers terminate in the? A .superior temporal gyrus
A.Dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei B.inferior temporal gyrus
B. Dorsal cochlear nuclei C.superior frontal gyrus
C. Ventral cochlear nuclei D.inferior frontal gyrus
D. None of the above Q7: The vestibular cortex is located in?
Q3: The third order neuron of the auditory pathway is located in: A.central gyrus
A.Medial geniculate nuclei. B. precentral gyrus
B.inferior colliculus. C. postcentral gyrus
C.spiral ganglion. D.post-temporal gyrus
D. Dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei. Q8 : Both Vestibular & cochlear parts leave the ventral surface of brain stem
Q4: The vestibular ganglion located in? through?
A. Internal auditory meatus A. inferior cereberral peduncle
B. External auditory meatus B. pontocerebellar angle
C. Middle auditory meatus C. anterolateral olivary sulcus
D. None of the above D. basilar sulcus
Answers: Q1(C) Q2(A) Q3(B) Q4(A) Q5(A) Q6(A) Q7(C) Q8(B) 13
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