Motor oculi is a term used to describe the nerve that controls the movement of the eye. The spelling of the word can be broken down into its individual sounds using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first part, "motor," is pronounced as /ˈmoʊtər/ and the second part, "oculi," is pronounced as /ˈɑːkjuli/. The combination of these sounds creates the full pronunciation of /ˈmoʊtər ˈɑːkjuli/. It is important to use proper spelling and pronunciation in medical terminology to ensure accurate communication between healthcare professionals.
The term "motor oculi" refers to the third cranial nerve, also known as cranial nerve III or the oculomotor nerve. This nerve is responsible for controlling the movement of several muscles in the eye, enabling it to perform various functions. It originates in the midbrain and consists of both motor and parasympathetic fibers.
Motor oculi primarily innervates four of the six extrinsic eye muscles: the superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, and inferior oblique muscles. Through its action on these muscles, the motor oculi nerve facilitates eye movements in different directions, such as upwards, downwards, medially, and rotationally. These movements are crucial for proper eye alignment, coordination, and focusing.
Additionally, the motor oculi nerve supplies parasympathetic fibers to the iris sphincter muscle and the ciliary muscle of the eye. These fibers help regulate the constriction of the pupil (pupillary reflex) and the accommodation of the lens for near vision (accommodative reflex), respectively.
Damage or dysfunction to the motor oculi nerve can result in various eye-related symptoms, such as ptosis (drooping eyelid), diplopia (double vision), strabismus (misalignment of the eyes), and difficulty in properly moving the eye. These conditions may be caused by lesions, trauma, inflammation, or other medical conditions affecting the motor oculi nerve.
The third cranial nerve, nervus oculomotorius.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "motor oculi" is derived from the Latin language. "Motor" means "mover" or "driver", while "oculi" means "eye". When combined, "motor oculi" translates to "motor of the eye" or "motor that moves the eye". It refers to the oculomotor nerve, which is the cranial nerve responsible for controlling most of the eye movements.