Hörnerv

Hörnerv is a German term that can refer to the auditory nerve. In contemporary anatomy and medicine, the nerve responsible for hearing and balance is more precisely called nervus vestibulocochlearis (cranial nerve VIII). Hörnerv is thus a non-technical or lay term, sometimes used in educational contexts to denote the same nerve, rather than a distinct anatomical structure.

Anatomy: The vestibulocochlear nerve consists of two sensory divisions: the cochlear nerve, which carries auditory information from the cochlea, and the vestibular nerve, which carries information about head position and movement from the vestibular apparatus. These fibers originate in the spiral ganglion and the vestibular ganglion, respectively. The nerve travels through the internal acoustic meatus and reaches the brainstem at the pontomedullary junction, where it connects to the nuclei of hearing and balance.

Function: The cochlear division transmits sound-evoked signals to the auditory pathway, enabling hearing. The vestibular division transmits signals related to balance and gaze stabilization, contributing to spatial orientation and postural control.

Clinical relevance: Lesions affecting cranial nerve VIII, such as acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas), can cause unilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. Diagnostic tools include audiometry, vestibular testing, and MRI imaging of the internal auditory canal and brainstem.

Etymology and usage: Hörnerv literally means "hearing nerve" in German. While widely understood, it is not the preferred technical term in modern medical literature, which consistently uses nervus vestibulocochlearis. See also Nervus vestibulocochlearis.