This is a list of human anatomy mnemonics, categorized and alphabetized. For mnemonics in other medical specialties, see this list of medical mnemonics. Mnemonics serve as a systematic method for remembrance of functionally or systemically related items within regions of larger fields of study, such as those found in the study of specific areas of human anatomy, such as the bones in the hand, the inner ear, or the foot, or the elements comprising the human biliary system or arterial system.
Structures passing through lesser sciatic foramen: (P.I.N.T.)
pudendal nerve
internal pudendal vessels
nerve to obturator internus
tendon of obturator internus
Tarsal tunnel
a mnemonic to remember the contents of the Tarsal tunnel from anterior to posterior is "Tom, Dick and Harry".[7][8][9] or alternatively "Tom, Dick (and very nervous) Harry" if the artery, vein, and nerve are included.
Femoral triangle
The femoral triangle is shaped like the sail of a sailing ship and hence its boundaries can be remembered using the mnemonic, "SAIL":
The order of structures in the femoral triangle is important in the embalming of bodies, as the femoral artery is often exposed and used to pump embalming fluids into the body. The order of this neurovascular bundle can be remembered using the mnemonic, "NAVY":
Nerve
Artery
Vein
Y -fronts (the British term of a style of men's underwear with a Y-shaped front that acts as a fly). The "Y" is midline (corresponding with the penis) and the mnemonic always reads from lateral to medial (in other words, the Femoral Nerve is always lateral).
Popliteal fossa
A useful mnemonic to remember popliteal fossa anatomy (medial-to-lateral arrangement) is: Serve And Volley Next Ball.
S: semimembranosus and semitendinosus (superior medial border)
A: artery (popliteal artery)
V: vein (popliteal vein)
N: nerve (tibial nerve)
B: biceps femoris (superior lateral border). The lateral and medial heads of gastrocnemius form the inferior border.[11]
The sternal angle marks the approximate level of the 2nd pair of costal cartilages, which attach to the second ribs, and the level of the intervertebral disc between T4 and T5.[13] In clinical applications, the sternal angle can be palpated at the T4 vertebral level.
The sternal angle is used in the definition of the thoracic plane. This marks the level of a number of other anatomical structures.
For structures lying at the level of the sternal angle, the following mnemonic can be used:
"My Aunty Rocks My Uncle" - Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Radial, Median, Ulnar. (in order laterally to medially)
"My Uncle Rocks My Aunt" - Musculocutaneous (L), Ulnar (M), Radial (P), Median (LM), Axillary (P). (L: lateral cord, M: medial cord, P: posterior cord. LM: both lateral and medial cords. Memorize "LMP LMP".)
Lateral cord branches
LLM "Lucy Loves Me" - Lateral pectoral, Lateral root of the median nerve, Musculocutaneous.
Love Me Lucy (LML) - Lateral pectoral nerve, Musculocutaneous nerve, Lateral root of Median nerve.
Look My Lancer - Lateral pectoral nerve, Musculocutaneous nerve, Lateral root of Median nerve.
Medial cord branches
MMMUM "Most Medical Men Use Morphine" - Medial pectoral, Medial cutaneous nerve of arm, Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm, Ulnar, Medial root of the Median nerve.
"Money Makes Many Men Unhappy" - Medial pectoral nerve, Medial cutaneous nerve of arm, Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm, Medial root of median nerve, Ulnar nerve.
"M4U" - Medial pectoral nerve, Medial cutaneous nerve of arm, Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm, Medial root of median nerve, Ulnar nerve.
Union of 4 Medials - Ulnar nerve, Medial cutaneous nerve of arm, Medial cutaneous nerve of forearm, Medial pectoral nerve, Medial root of Median nerve.
Posterior cord branches
STAR - Subscapular (upper and lower), Thoracodorsal, Axillary, Radial.
Deep cerebellar nuclei and their positions relative to the midline: "Fat Guys Eat Donuts," where each letter indicates the medial to lateral location in the cerebellar white matter.
Or inversely, "Don't Eat Greasy Food", where each letter indicates the lateral to medial location in the cerebellar white matter.
OOOh the 2Traceys Are From Virginia Good cause Virginians Are Hilarious
On, On, On, They Traveled And Found Voldemort Guarding Very Ancient Horcruxes
There are many mnemonics for the names of the cranial nerves, e.g.
"OOOTTAFAGVSH" is "OLd OPen OCeans TROuble TRIbesmen ABout Fish VEnom Giving VArious ACute/SPlitting Headaches" (a mnemonic that gives enough letters to distinguish between nerves that start with the same letter), or "On old Olympus's towering tops, a Finn and German viewed some hops,"[16] and for the initial letters "OOOTTAFVGVAH" is "Oh, oh, oh, to touch and feel very good velvet ... ah, heaven."[17] The differences between these depend on "vestibulocochlear nerve" versus "acoustic nerve" and "accessory nerve" versus "spinal accessory nerve".
Old Ollie Oson Teaches Teenagers About Fashion Very Gladly Very Adequately Hilarious
Only Our Old Trusty Vodka And Friends Validate Great Victories, So Harmonious.
One Orange Orangutan Tries To Avoid Fragile Vines & Gracefully Vacates All Hazards
Ongoing Optimism Only Teaches True Amazing Fundamentals Varying Globally Versatile And Honesty
Only Old Otters Take Time And Find Very Good Values At Hand
Only One Ounce To Take Another Farmer's Very Great Vest And Hat
Functions of the Cranial Nerves
motor (M), sensory (S), or both (B)
Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Business Makes Money.
A common example mnemonic for remembering which nerves are motor (M), sensory (S), or both (B), "Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Benevolent Bride Matters More". There are a very large number of additional mnemonics.[18]
Summertime Seems More Majestic Because Multiple Bystanders Sing Brilliant Ballads Making Masterpieces
Silly Sally Makes Many Big Muffins But Sally Bakes Big Macarons Moreover
Some Sundays Make Me Bored, My Brother Stays Busy Building Miniature Models
Some Say Moms Make Boys Magnificent Because She Babies Boys Much More
Sometimes She May Muster Big Motors Because She Believes Both Men Matter
Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More
Some Say Marry Money, But My Buddy Says Brilliant Brains Make Money
3 branches of the trigeminal nerve (CN V)
Standing room only can be used to remember that:
V1 (ophthalmic nerve) passes through the superior orbital fissure
A simple mnemonic for remembering which layers of lateral geniculate body are synapsed with the ganglion cells of the ipsilateral or contralateral optic nerve is "See I? I see, I see," with "see" representing the C in "contralateral," and "I" representing the I in "ipsilateral." (CIICIC)
Another is "Emily and Pete meet eye to eye" as in "M and P meet I to I," or again, "Magno and Parvo meet Ipsi to Ipsi." (MMPPPP)
Another way of remembering which layers of lateral geniculate body are synapsed with the ganglion cells of the ipsilateral or contralateral optic nerve is 2+3=5 (layers II, III and V), which is correct, so it is from the same (ipsilateral) side as the ganglion cells from the side of question, while at the same time 1+4 doesn't equal 6, so the remaining layers (I, IV, and VI) are synapsing with ganglion cells of the other (contralateral) optic nerve.
Coronal section of brain (structures)
"In Extremis, Cannibals Eat People's Globus Pallidi Instead of Their Hearts":
From insula to midline:
Insula
Extream capsule
Claustrum
External capsule
Putamen
Globus pallidus
Internal capsule
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Anterior Pituitary Hormones
FLAG TOP
FSH
LH
ACTH
GH
TSH
MelanOcyte Stimulating Hormone
Prolactin
Etc.
Bowel components
"Dow Jones Industrial Average Closing Stock Report"[2]
↑Wilson, Herbert H. Srebnik; illustrations by Genevieve M. (2002). Concepts in anatomy. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 70. ISBN0792375394.
↑Textbook of Basic Nursing by Caroline Bunker Rosdahl and Mary T. Kowalski
(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007) p194; Medical Terminology for Dummies by Beverley Henderson and Jennifer Dorsey (For Dummies, 2008) p327
↑Caroline Bunker Rosdahl and Mary T. Kowalski, Textbook of Basic Nursing (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007) p194