Oculomotor nerve

Oculomotor nerve
Nerves of the orbit. Seen from above.
Inferior view of the human brain, with the cranial nerves labelled.
Details
FromOculomotor nucleus, Edinger-Westphal nucleus
ToSuperior branch, inferior branch
InnervatesSuperior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, inferior oblique, levator palpebrae superioris, sphincter pupillae (parasympathetics), ciliaris muscle (parasympathetics)
Identifiers
Latinnervus oculomotorius
MeSHD009802
NeuroNames488
TA98A14.2.01.007
TA26187
FMA50864
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The oculomotor nerve, also known as the third cranial nerve, cranial nerve III, or simply CN III, is a cranial nerve that enters the orbit through the superior orbital fissure and innervates extraocular muscles that enable most movements of the eye and that raise the eyelid. The nerve also contains fibers that innervate the intrinsic eye muscles that enable pupillary constriction and accommodation (ability to focus on near objects as in reading). The oculomotor nerve is derived from the basal plate of the embryonic midbrain. Cranial nerves IV and VI also participate in control of eye movement.[1]

  1. ^ Vilensky, Joel; Robertson, Wendy; Suarez-Quian, Carlos (2015). The Clinical Anatomy of the Cranial Nerves: The Nerves of "On Olympus Towering Top". Ames, Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-118-49201-7.[page needed]