How to Remember the Foramina of the Cranial Floor of the Skull

Learning all the features of the human skull can be intimidating at first. Especially all the many holes—or foramina—of the skull. 

To help us remember complex sets of information, we can use a helpful mnemonic phrase. Mnemonic phrases, sentences, and words are those that help us remember. That's what mnemonic means—related to memory.

A mnemonic phrase that I've used to help remind us of the anatomical locations and names of the paired foramina in the cranial floor is this: 

Old Rotund Owls Spin Lazily Across Jugs. 

FORAMEN	REMINDER
optic	old
rotundum	rotund
ovale	owls
spinosum	spin
lacerum	lazily
acoustic	across
jugular	jugs

Watch this brief video for an overview of the cranial floor foramina and a walk-through of the suggested mnemonic: Return to editingCranial Foramina | Mnemonic Phrase 

Want to know more?

• Mnemonics for A&P |Memory aids for anatomy & physiology
• Use a Virtual Study Skeleton to Learn Bones & Markings
• Learning bones & skeletal features