A nerve that goes through the semicircular canals and receives positional information?

• A. Vestibular Nerve
• B. Cochlear Nerve
• C. Trigeminal Nerve
• D. Facial Nerve

Answer: (A)

Rotation information from the semicircular canals is carried by the vestibular nerve, which transmits signals about head position and movement to the brain to help maintain balance. The semicircular canals detect angular (rotational) acceleration, and hair cells there send their input via the vestibular nerve to brainstem and cerebellar centers involved in balance. The cochlear nerve, by contrast, handles hearing; the trigeminal and facial nerves serve facial sensation/motor functions and facial movements, not balance. Both vestibular and cochlear nerves pass through the internal acoustic meatus, forming part of the vestibulocochlear nerve. So the nerve through the semicircular canals that conveys positional information is the vestibular nerve.