Mnemonic Devices for Cranial Nerves

There are twelve cranial nerves, each with different names and functions. Some are sensory nerves while some are motor nerves, and some are both. How will you ever learn them all?

Mnemonics to the Rescue

There are two great mnemonics for cranial nerves:

On Old Olympus’ Towering Tops A Finn And German Viewed Some Hops

and

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

The first will help you learn the name of the cranial nerves, and the second will help you remember if the nerve is sensory, motor, or both, which will help you remember what the nerve controls.

Cranial Nerve	Mnemonic 1	Nerve Name	Mnemonic 2	Nerve Type	Function
I	On	Olfactory	Some	Sensory	Smell
II	Old	Optic	Say	Sensory	Vision
III	Olympus’	Oculomotor	Marry	Motor	Eye Movement
IV	Towering	Trochlear	Money	Motor	Eye Movement
V	Tops	Trigeminal	But	Both	Sensory From Face; Motor From Chewing
VI	A	Abducens	My	Motor	Eye Movement
VII	Finn	Facial	Brother	Both	Sensory From Taste; Motor From Facial Movement
VIII	And	Acoustic	Says	Sensory	Balance and Hearing
IX	German	Glossopharyngeal	Big	Both	Sensory From Taste; Motor From Swallowing
X	Viewed	Vagus	Brains	Both	Sensory From Taste; Motor From Parasympathetic
XI	Some	Spinal	Matter	Motor	Neck and Shoulder Movement
XII	Hops	Hypoglossal	More	Motor	Tongue Movement