CRANIAL NERVES
Wilson Pauwels
The twelve pairs of cranial nerves provide sensory and motor innervation for the head and neck. These nerves
emerge from the cranium, as opposed to spinal nerves that emerge from the spinal column.
General Sensory Nerves Touch, pain, temperature, pressure, vibration, proprioceptive sensation
Visceral Sensory Nerves Sensory input (except pain) from the viscera
Special Sensory Nerves Smell, vision, taste, hearing, balance
Somatic Motor Nerves Innervate voluntary muscles that develop from the somites
Branchial Motor Nerves Innervate the voluntary muscles that develop from the branchial arches
Parasympathetic (Visceral Innervate the viscera and all involuntary smooth muscle
orAutonomic) Motor
Nerves
, Cranial Nerves: Components and Functions
Nerve Component and Function
Olfactory CNI Special sesnory for smell
Optic CN II Special sensory for vision
Oculomotor CN III Somatic motor to all extraocular muscles (except superior oblique and lateral
rectus muscles)
Parasympathetic motor to ciliary and sphincter (constrictor) pupillae muscles
Trochlear CN IV Somatic motor to superior oblique muscle
Trigeminal CN V General sensory from face, conjunctiva, bulb of the eye, etc.
Abducens CN VI Somatic motor to lateral rectus muscle
Facial CN VII Branchial motor to muscles of facial expression
Parasympathetic motor to various glands (lacrimal, submandibular, nasal, etc)
Vestibulocochlear CN Vestibular division for balance
VIII Cochlear division for hearing
Glossopharyngeal Innervates the parotid gland (salivation)
CNIX Sensation from the carotid artery to control blood pressure and fluid balance
(carotid body and carotid sinus innervation)
Sensation from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue and skin of the external ear
Taste from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue
Vagus CN X Motor innervation to the muscles of the abdominal organs, throat, tongue and
larynx
Accessory CN XI Motor supply to sternocleidomastoid m. and trapezius m. (turn head and shrug
shoulders)
Hypoglossal CN XII Motor innervation of the tongue muscles
,THE ORBITA
,SINUS CAVERNOSUS
ORBITAL FISSURE
,CRANIAL NERVES & BRAIN STEM
,Cranial Nerve Nuclei: Sensory and Motor
, OLFACTORY NERVE (CN I)
Component Cells of Origin Function
Special Sensory (Afferent) Olfactory Bulb For sensation of olfaction and smell
, OPTIC NERVE (CN II)
The optic nerve leaves the orbit through the optic canal, located in the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone. At the
posterior end of the otpic canal, the optic nerve enters the middle cranial fossa and joins the optic nerve from the
other eye to form the optic chiasma. At the chiasma, the optic tracts continue posteriorly around the cerebral
peduncles.
Component Cells of Origin Function
Special Sensory (Afferent) Retinal photoreceptors For visual information from the
retina
Wilson Pauwels
The twelve pairs of cranial nerves provide sensory and motor innervation for the head and neck. These nerves
emerge from the cranium, as opposed to spinal nerves that emerge from the spinal column.
General Sensory Nerves Touch, pain, temperature, pressure, vibration, proprioceptive sensation
Visceral Sensory Nerves Sensory input (except pain) from the viscera
Special Sensory Nerves Smell, vision, taste, hearing, balance
Somatic Motor Nerves Innervate voluntary muscles that develop from the somites
Branchial Motor Nerves Innervate the voluntary muscles that develop from the branchial arches
Parasympathetic (Visceral Innervate the viscera and all involuntary smooth muscle
orAutonomic) Motor
Nerves
, Cranial Nerves: Components and Functions
Nerve Component and Function
Olfactory CNI Special sesnory for smell
Optic CN II Special sensory for vision
Oculomotor CN III Somatic motor to all extraocular muscles (except superior oblique and lateral
rectus muscles)
Parasympathetic motor to ciliary and sphincter (constrictor) pupillae muscles
Trochlear CN IV Somatic motor to superior oblique muscle
Trigeminal CN V General sensory from face, conjunctiva, bulb of the eye, etc.
Abducens CN VI Somatic motor to lateral rectus muscle
Facial CN VII Branchial motor to muscles of facial expression
Parasympathetic motor to various glands (lacrimal, submandibular, nasal, etc)
Vestibulocochlear CN Vestibular division for balance
VIII Cochlear division for hearing
Glossopharyngeal Innervates the parotid gland (salivation)
CNIX Sensation from the carotid artery to control blood pressure and fluid balance
(carotid body and carotid sinus innervation)
Sensation from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue and skin of the external ear
Taste from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue
Vagus CN X Motor innervation to the muscles of the abdominal organs, throat, tongue and
larynx
Accessory CN XI Motor supply to sternocleidomastoid m. and trapezius m. (turn head and shrug
shoulders)
Hypoglossal CN XII Motor innervation of the tongue muscles
,THE ORBITA
,SINUS CAVERNOSUS
ORBITAL FISSURE
,CRANIAL NERVES & BRAIN STEM
,Cranial Nerve Nuclei: Sensory and Motor
, OLFACTORY NERVE (CN I)
Component Cells of Origin Function
Special Sensory (Afferent) Olfactory Bulb For sensation of olfaction and smell
, OPTIC NERVE (CN II)
The optic nerve leaves the orbit through the optic canal, located in the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone. At the
posterior end of the otpic canal, the optic nerve enters the middle cranial fossa and joins the optic nerve from the
other eye to form the optic chiasma. At the chiasma, the optic tracts continue posteriorly around the cerebral
peduncles.
Component Cells of Origin Function
Special Sensory (Afferent) Retinal photoreceptors For visual information from the
retina
