Abducent
Abducent
Abducent (pronounced: ab-DOO-sent), also known as the abducens nerve, is a cranial nerve responsible for the movement of the lateral rectus muscle in humans, which is a muscle in the eye.
Pronunciation
- IPA: /æbˈdjuːsənt/
Etymology
The term "abducent" comes from the Latin word "abducens" which means "leading away". This is in reference to the nerve's function, which is to draw the eye away from the midline of the body.
Function
The Abducent nerve is the sixth cranial nerve (CN VI) in humans. It is a somatic efferent nerve that controls the movement of a single muscle, the lateral rectus muscle of the eye. This muscle is responsible for outward gaze, or abduction of the eye.
Clinical significance
Damage to the abducent nerve can result in Abducent nerve palsy, a condition characterized by weakness or paralysis of the lateral rectus muscle. This can lead to horizontal double vision, where two images are seen side by side.
Related terms
- Abduction: The movement of a limb or other part away from the midline of the body, or from another part.
- Cranial nerves: The 12 paired nerves that come from the brain, including the abducent nerve.
- Lateral rectus muscle: The muscle in the eye that the abducent nerve controls.
- Abducent nerve palsy: A condition that results from damage to the abducent nerve.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Abducent
- Wikipedia's article - Abducent
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