Anatomy
Summary
There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves. The first, the olfactory nerve, is responsible for smell. The optic nerve, CN II, conveys visual information. Next, the oculomotor nerve moves the eye along with CN IV, the trochlear nerve and CN VI, the abducens nerve. Cranial nerve V, the trigeminal nerve, is involved in facial and tongue sensation and jaw movement. The facial nerve is the seventh cranial nerve, and it is responsible for some taste as well as motor innervation to most muscles of the face. The vestibulocochlear nerve, CN VIII, transmits sound and balance information to the brain from the ear. Cranial nerve IX, the glossopharyngeal nerve, conveys sensory and taste information from the back of the tongue and from the carotid body and sinus, in addition to motor innervation to the pharynx. The vagus nerve, CN X, has a number of motor and sensory roles involving the larynx and pharynx which includes functions like speech, swallowing, and the cough reflex, along with parasympathetics to various parts of the body. The accessory nerve, CN XI, supplies motor innervation for neck and shoulder movement, and finally the hypoglossal nerve, CN XII, provides motor innervation to the tongue.
Lesson Outline
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FAQs
The olfactory nerve, also known as cranial nerve I, is responsible for the sense of smell. It generates sensory input that is processed by the brain to identify different odors.
The optic nerve (cranial nerve II) is responsible for transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain. The oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III) controls most of the eye's movements, including constriction of the pupil and raising the upper eyelid.
The trigeminal nerve, or cranial nerve V, has both sensory and motor functions. These include facial sensation and sensation to the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, as well as motor innervation to the muscles involved in mastication.
The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) is involved in motor control of facial expressions, the secretion of tears and saliva, innervation of the stapedius muscle, and taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.
