Trigeminal nerve: course, divisions and major distributions
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Trigeminal nerve (CN V): the largest cranial nerve, mixed but predominantly sensory, the principal sensory nerve of the head and face and motor nerve to the muscles of mastication.
Functional Components and Nuclei
SVE fibres (motor) arise from the motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve in the pons and supply muscles of the 1st pharyngeal arch.
These muscles are the muscles of mastication, mylohyoid, anterior belly of digastric, tensor palati and tensor tympani.
GSA fibres carry exteroceptive sensation (pain, touch, temperature) from the skin of head and face, oral and nasal mucosa and meninges, terminating in the main sensory and spinal nuclei.
They also carry proprioceptive sensation from the muscles of mastication, the temporomandibular joint and teeth, terminating in the mesencephalic nucleus.