Abducent nerve
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| Nerve: Abducent nerve | ||
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| Oblique section through the cavernous sinus. | ||
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| Nerves of the orbit, and the ciliary ganglion. Side view. (Abducens visible center bottom) | ||
| Latin | Nervus abducens | |
| Gray's | subject #201 899 | |
| Innervates | lateral rectus muscle | |
The sixth of twelve cranial nerves, the abducent nerve is a motor nerve that innervates the lateral rectus muscle and therefore controls each eye's ability to abduct (move away from the midline). The abducent nerve has the longest intracranial course of all the cranial nerves, and is very susceptible to damage via head injuries.
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[edit] Anatomy
The abducent nerve emerges from the ipsilateral abducens nucleus between the caudal pons beneath the floor of the fourth ventricle and the medulla (the pontomedullary junction), beneath the facial colliculus. It pierces the dura mater on the dorsum sellae.
It then passes forward within the cavernous sinus lateral to the internal carotid artery, suspended by fine trabeculae. The abducent nerve exits the skull through the superior orbital fissure and within the tendinous ring.
[edit] Additional images
 Dura mater and its processes exposed by removing part of the right half of the skull, and the brain. |
