Sixth cranial nerve

The sixth cranial nerve is the abducent nerve, a small motor nerve that has one task: to supply a muscle called the lateral rectus muscle that moves the eye outward.</P> Paralysis of the abducent nerve causes inward turning of the eye (internal strabismus) leading to double vision.</P> All 12 cranial nerves, the abducent nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column.</P> The word 'abducent' comes from the Latin 'ab-', away from + 'ducere', to draw = to draw away.

The abducent (or abducens) operates the lateral rectus muscle that draws the eye toward the side of the head.

The abducent nerve is also called the abducens nerve.