Internal auditory canal nerves (mnemonic)

Last revised by Yoshi Yu on 25 Jan 2023

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

  • Seven up, Coke down

A variation may include the addition of:

  • V8 on the back shelf

Anatomy

Four nerves pass through the IAC:

Four are the nerves and four are the quadrants of the IAC: anterosuperior, anteroinferior, posterosuperior, posteroinferior. 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) is superior within the canal

  • Coke down: cochlear nerve (CN VIIIc) is inferior within the canal

  • V8 on the back shelf: superior (CN VIIIvs) and inferior (CN VIIIvi) vestibular nerves are posterior within the canal

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