Every nerve in the reference with its roots, course, and motor and sensory territory, grouped by body region.
Nerve Course Sheet
32 rows · AnatoMemory · sample of the first 3 rows of each section (11 of 32)
Upper limb
Upper limb - Nerve Course Sheet. Every nerve in the reference with its roots, course, and motor and sensory territory, grouped by body region.
Nerve
Roots
Course
Motor
Sensory
Axillary nerve
C5, C6 (posterior cord)
Passes through the quadrangular space with the posterior circumflex humeral artery, winding around the surgical neck of the humerus
Deltoid and teres minor
Skin over the inferior deltoid ('regimental badge' area) via the superior lateral cutaneous nerve of the arm
Long thoracic nerve
C5, C6, C7 (roots of the brachial plexus)
Descends on the external surface of serratus anterior along the mid-axillary line
Serratus anterior
No cutaneous sensory territory - this nerve is purely motor.
Median nerve
C6, C7, C8, T1 (lateral and medial cords)
Descends through the arm lateral then medial to the brachial artery, passes between the two heads of pronator teres, and travels through the carpal tunnel into the hand
Most anterior forearm flexors (except FCU and medial FDP), thenar muscles, and lateral two lumbricals
Palmar lateral 3½ digits and their nail beds; lateral palm
Lower limb
Lower limb - Nerve Course Sheet. Every nerve in the reference with its roots, course, and motor and sensory territory, grouped by body region.
Nerve
Roots
Course
Motor
Sensory
Common fibular (peroneal) nerve
L4, L5, S1, S2 (common fibular division of the sciatic)
Follows the medial border of biceps femoris, then winds superficially around the neck of the fibula before dividing into deep and superficial fibular nerves
Anterior and lateral leg compartments (via its deep and superficial branches)
Anterolateral leg and dorsum of the foot
Deep fibular (peroneal) nerve
L4, L5, S1 (from the common fibular nerve)
Pierces the anterior intermuscular septum, descends on the interosseous membrane with the anterior tibial artery, and continues onto the dorsum of the foot
Skin of the web space between the first and second toes
Femoral nerve
L2, L3, L4 (posterior divisions of the lumbar plexus)
Emerges lateral to psoas major, passes deep to the inguinal ligament lateral to the femoral artery, and divides in the femoral triangle
Iliacus, pectineus, sartorius, and quadriceps femoris
Anterior thigh (anterior femoral cutaneous) and medial leg/foot (saphenous nerve)
Trunk
Trunk - Nerve Course Sheet. Every nerve in the reference with its roots, course, and motor and sensory territory, grouped by body region.
Nerve
Roots
Course
Motor
Sensory
Intercostal nerves
Anterior rami of T1-T11 (T12 = subcostal nerve)
Run in the intercostal spaces within the costal groove between the internal and innermost intercostal muscles
Intercostal muscles and (lower nerves) the anterolateral abdominal wall muscles
Skin and parietal pleura/peritoneum of the thoracic and abdominal walls (dermatomes)
Phrenic nerve
C3, C4, C5 (cervical plexus)
Descends on the anterior scalene, enters the thorax, and runs anterior to the lung root on the fibrous pericardium to the diaphragm
Diaphragm (sole motor supply)
Central diaphragm, mediastinal pleura, pericardium, and diaphragmatic peritoneum (referred to the shoulder tip)
Head & neck
Head & neck - Nerve Course Sheet. Every nerve in the reference with its roots, course, and motor and sensory territory, grouped by body region.
Nerve
Roots
Course
Motor
Sensory
Abducens nerve (CN VI)
Motor (cranial nerve)
Emerges at the pontomedullary junction, runs a long course up the clivus, through the cavernous sinus and superior orbital fissure
Lateral rectus muscle (abducts the eye)
No cutaneous sensory territory - this nerve is purely motor.
Accessory nerve (CN XI)
Motor (spinal root C1-C5/C6)
The spinal root ascends through the foramen magnum, joins the cranial root briefly, exits the jugular foramen, and crosses the posterior triangle of the neck
Sternocleidomastoid and trapezius
No cutaneous sensory territory - this nerve is purely motor.
Facial nerve (CN VII)
Motor, sensory, and parasympathetic (cranial nerve)
Passes through the internal acoustic meatus, the facial canal (giving branches), and exits the stylomastoid foramen to branch across the face (parotid plexus)
Muscles of facial expression, stapedius, stylohyoid, and posterior belly of digastric
Taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue (via chorda tympani); parasympathetic to lacrimal, submandibular, and sublingual glands
Built from the nerve records of the AnatoMemory reference library.
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