There are many different variations of these acrostics used for remembering cranial nerve names and their functions. However, these are the ones that I’ve used.
Remembering cranial nerve names in order of CN I through to CN XII:
- Ooh, Ooh, Ooh To Try And Face Almighty God! Very Sad Hour.
Remembering functional information:
- Some say marry money but my brother says big brains matter more.
Remembering the function helps with understanding the cranial nerve exam.
Mnemonics for Cranial Nerve Names
Ooh, Ooh, Ooh To Try And Face Almighty God! Very Sad Hour
- O: olfactory nerve (CN I)
- O: optic nerve (CN II)
- O: oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- T: trochlear nerve (CN IV)
- T: trigeminal nerve(CN V)
- A: abducens nerve (CN VI)
- F: facial nerve (CN VII)
- A: auditory (or vestibulocochlear) nerve (CN VIII)
- G: glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- V: vagus nerve (CN X)
- S: spinal accessory nerve (CN XI)
- H: hypoglossal (CN XII)
Motor & Sensory Function of Cranial Nerves
Some say marry money but my brother says big brains matter more
- S: sensory (olfactory nerve – CN I)
- S: sensory (optic nerve – CN II)
- M: motor (oculomotor nerve – CN III)
- M: motor (trochlear nerve – CN IV)
- B: both (trigeminal nerve – CN V)
- M: motor (abducens nerve – CN VI)
- B: both (facial nerve – CN VII)
- S: sensory (vestibulocochlear nerve – CN VIII)
- B: both (glossopharyngeal nerve CN IX)
- B: both (vagus nerve – CN X)
- M: motor (spinal accessory nerve – CN XI)
- M: motor (hypoglossal nerve – CN XII)
When you write out the mnemonic for remembering the names and the mnemonic for their function side by side, it will help you remember both the cranial nerve names and their functions.