OCULOMOTOR NERVES Meaning and
Definition
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The oculomotor nerves refer to a pair of cranial nerves responsible for the voluntary and involuntary movements of the eye, known as extraocular movements. The oculomotor nerves, also known as the cranial nerve III, emerge from the brainstem and primarily innervate the muscles responsible for eye movement.
These nerves activate six different muscles that control the movement of the eyeball, including the superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, inferior oblique, levator palpebrae superioris, and superior oblique muscles. Through their connections to these muscles, the oculomotor nerves enable the eye to move in various directions, allowing for coordinated and synchronized visual tracking.
In addition to controlling eye movements, the oculomotor nerves also play a role in the pupillary reflex. They innervate the muscles that control the size of the pupil, including the sphincter pupillae, which constricts the pupil in response to light, and the ciliary muscles, which control the shape of the lens to facilitate near or far vision.
Damage or dysfunction of the oculomotor nerves can result in various eye movement abnormalities, such as double vision (diplopia), drooping eyelids (ptosis), or difficulty moving the eyes in certain directions. Furthermore, impairment of the pupillary reflexes can lead to abnormal pupil size and responses. Oculomotor nerve dysfunction can be caused by a variety of factors, including trauma, inflammation, or underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or stroke.
Common Misspellings for OCULOMOTOR NERVES
- iculomotor nerves
- kculomotor nerves
- lculomotor nerves
- pculomotor nerves
- 0culomotor nerves
- 9culomotor nerves
- oxulomotor nerves
- ovulomotor nerves
- ofulomotor nerves
- odulomotor nerves
- ocylomotor nerves
- ochlomotor nerves
- ocjlomotor nerves
- ocilomotor nerves
- oc8lomotor nerves
- oc7lomotor nerves
- ocukomotor nerves
- ocupomotor nerves
- ocuoomotor nerves
- oculimotor nerves
Etymology of OCULOMOTOR NERVES
The word "oculomotor" is derived from the Latin word "oculus" meaning "eye" and the word "motor" which means "related to movement". Hence, "oculomotor" literally means "related to eye movement".
The word "nerves" originates from the Latin word "nervus" which means "sinew, tendon" or "nerve". It is believed to be related to the Greek word "neuron", which also means "nerve".
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