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Cranial Nerves
Human beings have twelve pairs of cranial nerves. They are either connected to glands or internal organs, involved in transmitting information from the sense organs to the brain, or controlling the muscles. You can see them if you look at the ventral surface of the brain. They are sequentially numbered (rostral to caudal) on the basis of their origin from the brain. The table given below summarizes the functions performed by these cranial nerves. Further, the animation given below illustrates the twelve cranial nerves.
Table: Cranial nerves and their functions.
Cranial nerves |
Functions |
Olfactory |
Smell |
Optic |
Vision |
Oculomotor |
Eye movement, pupillary constriction, and accomodation |
Trochlear |
Eye movement |
Trigeminal |
Mastication muscles and eardrum tension. General sensations from anterior parts of head (face, meninges, nose and mouth) |
Abducen |
Eye movement |
Facial |
Facial expression and tension of ear bones |
Vestibulocochlear |
Hearing and equilibrium |
Glossopharyngeal |
Swallowing movement, visceral sensation, salivation, and taste |
Vagus |
Swallowing movement, laryngeal control, and visceral sensation |
Spinal accessory |
Movement of shoulder and head |
Hypoglossal |
Tongue movement |
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