Cranial nerves (mnemonic)

There are many cranial nerve mnemonics that can be memorable and rude. Either way, they can be helpful for remembering the names of the twelve cranial nerves as well as remembering which nerves are sensory, motor or both.

Remembering cranial nerve names in order of CN I through to CN XII:

• On old Olympus' towering top a Fin and German viewed some hops
• Ooh, ooh, ooh to touch and feel very good velvet. Such heaven!
• OOO PTA FAG VAH: Olfactory (CN I), Optic (CN II), Oculomotor (CN III), Pathetic (also known as trochlear, CN IV), Trigeminal (CN V), Abducens (CN VI), Facial (CN VII), Auditory (or vestibulocochlear, CN VIII), Glossopharyngeal (CN IX), Vagus (CN X), Accessory (CN XI), Hypoglossal (CN XII)

Remembering functional information:

• Some say marry money but my brother says big brains matter more
• There are slight variations on this one having 'money matters' or 'big boobs' instead

Mnemonics

On old Olympus' towering top a Fin and German viewed some hops

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, to touch and feel very good velvet. Such heaven!

• 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)

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)

If you write out the mnemonic for remembering the names next to the mnemonic for their function then they will align giving you an easier way to remember both the cranial nerve names and their function.