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The prevertebral cochlear nerve
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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The vestibulocochlearis nerve (n. vestibulocochlearis) is formed by sensory nerve fibers coming from the organs of hearing and balance. On the ventral surface of the brain, the vestibulocochlearis nerve emerges behind the bridge, lateral to the facial nerve. It then goes into the internal auditory canal, where it divides into the vestibular and cochlear parts.
The vestibular part (pars [nervus] vestibularis) of the vestibulocochlear nerve is formed by the processes of the bipolar neurons of the vestibular ganglion (ganglion vestibuldre), located at the bottom of the internal auditory canal. The peripheral processes of the neurons of the vestibular ganglion form the anterior, posterior and lateral ampullar nerves (nn. ampullares anterior, posterior et lateralis), the elliptical-saccular-ampullar nerve (n. utriculoampullar) and the spherical-saccular nerve (n. saccularis). All these thin nerves end in receptors in the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear. The central processes of these neurons form the vestibular part of the vestibulocochlear nerve, directed to the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem.
The cochlear part (pars [nervus] cochlearis) of the vestibulocochlear nerve is formed by the central processes of the bipolar neurons of the cochlear ganglion - the spiral ganglion of the cochlea (ganglion spirale cohleae), located in the spiral canal of the cochlea. The central processes of these neurons are directed to the cochlear nuclei located in the tegmentum of the bridge. The peripheral processes of the neurons of the cochlear ganglion begin with receptors in the spiral organ of the cochlea of the inner ear.
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