Physiology
1. Innervates extraocular lateral rectus muscle
2. Moves eye laterally
Course
1. Nucleus lies beneath facial colliculus
2. Runs below clinoid process
3. Passes through Cavernous Sinus
4. Enters orbit through superior orbital fissure
Pathophysiology
1. Bilateral paralysis seen in Botulism

Abducens nerve structure (C0000741)
Definition (MSH)	The 6th cranial nerve. The abducens nerve originates in the abducens nucleus of the pons and sends motor fibers to the lateral rectus muscles of the eye. Damage to the nerve or its nucleus disrupts horizontal eye movement control.
Concepts	Body Part, Organ, or Organ Component (T023)
MSH	D000010
English	Abducens Nerve, Abducens nerve structure, Abducens nerve tree, Abducens Nerves, Abducent Nerve, Abducent Nerves, Abductor digiti minimi, Cranial Nerve VI, Cranial Nerve VIs, Lateral rectus nerve, Nervus abducens, Sixth Cranial Nerve, Sixth Cranial Nerves
Spanish	estructura del nervio motor ocular externo, nervio motor ocular externo, nervio recto lateral, sexto nervio craneal, sexto par craneal, sexto par craneano, VI par craneal
Parent Concepts	Cranial Nerves (C0010268), Visual system structure (C0587900), Peripheral Nervous System (C0206417)
Sources	AOD , MSH, MTH, NCI, SCTSPA, SNOMEDCT, UWDA Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

Family Practice Notebook

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 10/7/2011 and last published on 12/30/2011.

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Cranial Nerve 6