II. Anatomy

  1. entEarVestibularCochlearNerveGrayBB928.gif Lewis (1918) Gray's Anatomy 20th ed (in public domain at Yahoo or BartleBy)

III. Course

  1. neuroAcousticCn8.png
  2. Originates as two separate nuclei in the Medulla
    1. Cochlear nucleus (innervates Organ of Corti)
    2. Vestibular nucleus (innervates semicircular canals)
  3. Fibers from both nerves join to form one trunk
  4. Passes via Internal Auditory Canal to their respective somatic sensory ganglia
    1. Spiral Ganglion (Hearing)
    2. Vestibular Ganglion (balance)
  5. Auditory signals partially cross the midline
    1. Each ear's auditory signals are transmitted to both Cerebral Hemispheres
    2. Fibers Synapse at multiple locations (inferior colliculus, medial geniculate body)

IV. Exam

  1. Cochlear Nerve
    1. See Hearing Testing
  2. Vestibular Nerve
    1. See Vestibular Testing (Labyrinthine testing)
    2. Spontaneous Nystagmus

V. References

  1. Gilman (1989) Manter and Gatz Essentials of Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology, Davis, p. 87-113
  2. Goldberg (2014) Clinical Neuroanatomy, p. 24-39
  3. Netter (1997) Atlas Human Anatomy, ICON Learning, p. 110-129

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Ontology: Acoustic Nerve (C0001162)

Definition (NCI_CDISC) The eighth cranial nerve.
Definition (NCI) The eighth cranial nerve composed of the acoustic nerve and the vestibular nerve. The nerve travels from the inner ear, enters the cranial cavity through the internal auditory foramen and joins the brainstem. The auditory nerve conveys impulses from the cochlea of the inner ear to the auditory nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular nerve carries information from the labyrinths of the inner ear to the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem.
Definition (MSH) The 8th cranial nerve. The vestibulocochlear nerve has a cochlear part (COCHLEAR NERVE) which is concerned with hearing and a vestibular part (VESTIBULAR NERVE) which mediates the sense of balance and head position. The fibers of the cochlear nerve originate from neurons of the SPIRAL GANGLION and project to the cochlear nuclei (COCHLEAR NUCLEUS). The fibers of the vestibular nerve arise from neurons of Scarpa's ganglion and project to the VESTIBULAR NUCLEI.
Definition (CSP) cranial nerve concerned with hearing, balance and head position; the 8th cranial nerve which branches into two parts, a cochlear part integral to hearing and a vestibular part which mediates the sense of balance and head position; also called the vestibulocochlear nerve.
Concepts Body Part, Organ, or Organ Component (T023)
MSH D000159
SnomedCT 8598002
English Acoustic Nerve, Vestibulocochlear Nerve, Nerve, Vestibulocochlear, Nerves, Vestibulocochlear, Vestibulocochlear Nerves, acoustic nerve, Cranial Nerve VIII, Cranial Nerve, Eighth, Cranial Nerves, Eighth, Eighth Cranial Nerve, Eighth Cranial Nerves, Nerve, Eighth Cranial, Nerves, Eighth Cranial, Vestibulocochlear nerve struct, cranial nerve VIII, Stato-acoustic nerve, Nervus vestibulocochlearis [VIII], Cochleovestibular nerve, Vestibulocochlear nerve [VIII], Acoustic nerve (Crosby), Vestibulocochlear nerve tree, Statoacoustic nerve, Cochlear-vestibular nerve, auditory nerve, cranial nerve viii, Nerve VIIIs, Cranial, VIIIs, Cranial Nerve, Cranial Nerve VIIIs, vestibulocochlear nerve, stato-acoustic nerve, 8n, acoustic nerve (Crosby), statoacoustic nerve, cochleovestibular nerve, eighth cranial nerve, cochlear-vestibular nerve, Nervus statoacusticus, Nervus vestibulocochlearis, Nervus octavus, VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE, Nerves, Cochleovestibular, Cochleovestibular Nerve, Nerve, Cochleovestibular, Nerve, Statoacoustic, Nerves, Statoacoustic, Statoacoustic Nerves, Statoacoustic Nerve, Cochleovestibular Nerves, Eighth cranial nerve, Acoustic nerve, Vestibulocochlear nerve, Cranial nerve VIII, Vestibulocochlear nerve structure, Acoustic and vestibular nerves, Vestibulocochlear nerve structure (body structure), Acoustic nerve, NOS, Eighth cranial nerve, NOS, Auditory Nerve, Nerve (Acoustic), Cranial Nerve Eight, VIIIth Cranial Nerve
French Nerf stato-acoustique, Huitième nerf crânien, Nerf crânien 8, Nerf vestibulocochléaire, Nerf auditif, Nerf vestibulo-cochléaire, Nerf cochléo-vestibulaire, Nerf crânien VIII, Huitième paire crânienne
Swedish Hörsel- och balansnerv
Czech statoakustický nerv, nervus vestibulocochlearis, vestibulokochleární nerv
Finnish Kuulo-tasapainohermo
Russian PREDDVERNO-ULITKOVYI NERV, VESTIBULIARNO-KOKHLEARNYI NERV, SLUKHOVOI NERV, VESTIBULOKOKHLEARNYI NERV, ВЕСТИБУЛОКОХЛЕАРНЫЙ НЕРВ, ВЕСТИБУЛЯРНО-КОХЛЕАРНЫЙ НЕРВ, ПРЕДДВЕРНО-УЛИТКОВЫЙ НЕРВ, СЛУХОВОЙ НЕРВ
German ACHTER HIRNNERV, Hirnnerv VIII, Nervus statoacusticus, Nervus vestibulocochlearis, VIII. Hirnnerv
Italian Nervo cranico VIII, Ottavo nervo cranico, Nervo vestibolococleare
Croatian VESTIBULOKOHLEARNI ŽIVAC
Latvian Not Translated[Vestibulocochlear Nerve]
Polish Nerw słuchowy, Nerw przedsionkowo-ślimakowy, Nerw VIII
Japanese 内耳神経, 前庭蝸牛神経, 第8脳神経, 第VIII脳神経, 聴神経, 第八脳神経, 脳神経-第8, 脳神経-第VIII, 脳神経-第八
Norwegian Balanse- og hørselsnerve, Hjernenerve 8, Hørsels- og balansenerve, Nervus vestibulo-cochlearis, Hørsel-likevektsnerve, 8. hjernenerve
Spanish Nervio Craneal VIII, VIII Par Craneal, VIII par craneal, estructura del nervio auditivo (estructura corporal), estructura del nervio auditivo, nervio auditivo, nervio estatoacústico, nervio vestibulococlear, octavo nervio craneal, octavo par craneal, octavo par craneano, Nervio Vestibulococlear, Octavo Nervio Craneal, VIII Nervio Craneal
Portuguese VIII Par Craniano, VIII Nervo Craniano, Nervo Craniano VIII, Nervo Vestibulococlear, Oitavo Nervo Craniano
Dutch Gehoorzenuw, Nervus acusticus, Nervus cochlearis, Nervus cranialis VIII, Nervus vestibulocochlearis, VIIIe hersenzenuw

Ontology: Cochlear Nerve (C0009201)

Definition (MSH) The cochlear part of the 8th cranial nerve (VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR NERVE). The cochlear nerve fibers originate from neurons of the SPIRAL GANGLION and project peripherally to cochlear hair cells and centrally to the cochlear nuclei (COCHLEAR NUCLEUS) of the BRAIN STEM. They mediate the sense of hearing.
Definition (CSP) cochlear part of the 8th cranial nerve (vestibulocochlear nerve); cochlear nerve fibers originate from neurons of the spiral ganglion and project peripherally to cochlear hair cells and centrally to the cochlear nuclei of the brain stem; mediates the sense of hearing.
Concepts Body Part, Organ, or Organ Component (T023)
MSH D003056
SnomedCT 113313006
English Acoustic Nerve, Acoustic Nerves, Auditory Nerve, Auditory Nerves, Cochlear Nerve, Cochlear Nerves, Nerve, Acoustic, Nerve, Auditory, Nerve, Cochlear, Nerves, Acoustic, Nerves, Auditory, Nerves, Cochlear, Auditory nerve, auditory nerves, cochlear nerve, c8n, cochlear division of acoustic nerve, acoustic nerve, vestibulocochlear nerve, pars cochlearis, auditory nerve, Nervus cochlearis, Nervus acusticus, Cochlear nerve, Cochlear root of acoustic nerve, Cochlear root of eighth cranial nerve, Cochlear division of vestibulocochlear nerve, Structure of cochlear nerve (body structure), Structure of cochlear nerve, Cochlear Root of Acoustic Nerve, Cochlear Root of Eighth Cranial Nerve
Swedish Hörselnerv
Czech nervus cochlearis
Spanish Nervio Acústico, estructura del nervio coclear (estructura corporal), estructura del nervio coclear, nervio coclear, raíz coclear del VIII par craneal, raíz coclear del nervio auditivo, raíz coclear del nervio estatoacústico, raíz coclear del octavo nervio craneal, raíz coclear del octavo par craneal, Nervio Auditivo, Nervio Coclear
Finnish Kuulohermo
Russian KOKHLEARNYI NERV, ULITKI NERV, КОХЛЕАРНЫЙ НЕРВ, УЛИТКИ НЕРВ
Japanese 蝸牛神経
Italian Nervo uditivo, Nervo acustico, Nervo cocleare
Croatian SLUŠNI ŽIVAC
Latvian Dzirdes nervs
Polish Nerw ślimakowy, Część ślimakowa nerwu przedsionkowo-ślimakowego
Norwegian Hørselsnerve, Nervus cochlearis, Nervus acusticus
French Nerf cochléaire
German Kochlearis, Nervus acusticus, Nervus cochlearis, Hörnerv
Dutch Gehoorzenuw, Nervus acusticus, Nervus cochlearis
Portuguese Nervo Acústico, Nervo Auditivo, Nervo Coclear