Basic Neuroscience · Neuroanatomy
Skull Foramina
The major skull foramina and the vessels and nerves that pass through each. Bold entries are the highest-yield associations for board questions.
| Foramen | Vessels | Nerves |
|---|---|---|
| Supraorbital foramen | Supraorbital artery & vein | Supraorbital nerve |
| Infraorbital foramen | Infraorbital artery & vein | Infraorbital nerve |
| Superior orbital fissure | Superior ophthalmic vein | CN III, IV, V1, VI |
| Inferior orbital fissure | Inferior ophthalmic veins; infraorbital artery & vein | Zygomatic nerve and infraorbital nerve of maxillary nerve (V2); orbital branches of pterygopalatine ganglion |
| Optic canal | Ophthalmic artery | Optic nerve (CN II) |
| Foramen cecum | Emissary veins to superior sagittal sinus | — |
| Cribriform plate | — | Olfactory nerve bundles (CN I) |
| Foramen rotundum | — | Maxillary nerve (V2) |
| Foramen ovale | Accessory meningeal artery | Mandibular nerve (V3) |
| Foramen spinosum | Middle meningeal artery | Meningeal branch of the mandibular nerve (V3) |
| Foramen lacerum | Internal carotid artery, artery of pterygoid canal | Nerve of pterygoid canal |
| Internal acoustic meatus | Labyrinthine artery | Facial nerve (VII), vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII) |
| Jugular foramen | Inferior petrosal sinus, sigmoid sinus | Glossopharyngeal (IX), Vagus (X), Accessory (XI) |
| Hypoglossal canal | — | Hypoglossal nerve (XII) |
| Foramen magnum | Anterior and posterior spinal arteries, vertebral arteries | Medulla oblongata; hypoglossal nerve; cervical components of the accessory nerve |
| Stylomastoid foramen | Stylomastoid artery | Facial nerve (VII) |
LIGHTS on RITE by Ahmed Koriesh