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Internal auditory canal nerves (mnemonic)

A mnemonic to remember the relative position of nerves inside the internal auditory canal (IAC) is:

  • Seven up coke down

Anatomy

Four nerves pass through the IAC:

Four are the nerves and four are the quadrants of the IAC: antero-superior, antero-inferior, postero-superior, postero-inferior. In each quadrant there is the passage of one nerve (see picture). In the posterior quadrants are the two vestibular nerves, while in the anterior quadrants are the other two - the mnemonic can be used to remember their position.

Mnemonic

  • Seven up - facial nerve (CN VII) goes up
  • Coke down - cochlear nerve goes down

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