Cranial Nerves

# Name Exit Skull General Functions Components Components and Functions Branches
Olfactory Foramina of
Olfactory Nerves and Olfactory
I Olfactory Cribriform plate Sensory, smell Special Sensory Special Sensory for Smell
Stalk
(Ethmoid)
Optic Canal Optic Nerve, Optic Chiasm,
II Optic Sensory, vision Special Sensory Special Sensory for Vision
(Sphenoid) and Optic Tract
Motor to most extrinsic
Somatic Motor to a muscle in the eyelid, and all
eye muscles (skeletal) &
Somatic Motor muscles that move the eyeball except SO and
motor to muscles that
Superior Orbital Fissure (efferent), LR muscles
III Oculomotor constrict the pupil and Superior and Inferior divisions
(Sphenoid) Visceral Motor Visceral Motor (parasympathetics) to sphincter
muscles which change
(efferent) pupillae (constricts pupil) and ciliary muscles
the shape of the lens for
(change shape of lens for near vision)
near vision (smooth)
Superior Orbital Fissure Motor for superior oblique
IV Trochlear Somatic Motor (efferent) Somatic Motor to Superior Oblique Muscle None listed
(Sphenoid) (extrinsic eye muscle)
Somatic Sensory from upper part of face and Frontal
Trigeminal (V1): Superior Orbital Fissure
scalp, cornea, orbit, nasal cavity, upper eyelid Lacrimal
Ophthalmic (Sphenoid)
and part of nose Nasociliary
Greater and Lesser palatine nn
Nasal and Pharyngeal
Sensory for face and Branches, Nasopalatine Nerve
Trigeminal (V2): Foramen Rotundum Somatic Sensory from cheek area, upper teeth,
anterior scalp Somatic Sensory, Zygomatic
Maxillary (Sphenoid) nose, lower eyelid, upper lip
Motor to muscles of Pharyngeal Motor Nerve
V Posterior Superior Alveolar N
mastication (chewing) (efferent, branchial
and a few other small efferent) Infra-Orbital Nerve
muscles Carries the motor fibers (Pharyngeal motor for Nerves to various muscles
muscles of mastication, tensor typmani, tensor Buccal Nerve
Trigeminal (V3): Foramen Ovale veli palatini, anterior belly of digastric and Auriculotemporal
Mandibular (Sphenoid) mylohyoid muscles) and is Somatic Sensory Nerve Lingual
from lower face, lower teeth, lower lip and Nerve
anterior 2/3 of tongue Inferior Alveolar Nerve
Superior Orbital Fissure Motor to lateral rectus
VI Abducent Somatic Motor (efferent) Somatic Motor to Lateral Rectus Muscle None listed
(Sphenoid) (extrinsic eye muscle)
Somatic Sensory external acoustic meatus
Both
Special Sensory taste
Motor to muscles Somatic Sensory,
on anterior 2/3 of tongue
Internal Acoustic of facial expression and Special Sensory,
Visceral Motor (parasympathetics) to
Meatus (Temporal) tro other small muscles Visceral Motor
sublingual and submandibular glands, lacrimal Greater Petrosal Nerve and
VII Facial Pharyngeal Motor Stimulates (efferent),
gland and mucous glands of palate and nasal Chorda tympani
Fibers Stylomastoid secretion of several Pharyngeal Motor
cavity
Foramen glands (efferent, branchial
Pharyngeal Motor to the muscles of facial
Sensory for taste on efferent)
expression, stapedius, posterior belly of digastric
anterior 2/3 of tongue
and stylohyloid muscles.
 Cranial Nerves
# Name Exit Skull General Functions Components Components and Functions Branches
Internal Acoustic Sensory for hearning and Vestibular Nerve
VIII Vestibulocochlear Special Sensory Special Sensory for hearing and balance
Meatus (Temporal) equilibrium Cochlear Nerve
Visceral Sensory from carotid body and sinus,
Both
Special Sensory, posterior 1/3 of tongue, pharynx, soft palate,
Sensory for parts of
Visceral Sensory, middle ear
pharynx, palate, and Carotid Sinus Nerve
Visceral Motor Special Sensory for taste from posterior 1/3 of
Jugular Foramen tongue Tympanic Nerve
IX Glossopharyngeal (efferent), tongue
(Occipital & Temporal) Motor to one small Lesser Petrosal
Pharyngeal Motor Visceral Motor (parasympathetics) to parotid
muscle, stylopharyngeus Nerve
(efferent, branchial gland
and stimulates secretion
efferent) Pharyngeal Motor to stylopharyngeus muscle
of parotid gland

Somatic Sensory from external acoustic meatus

and skin posterior to ear
Both
Special Sensory for taste from the
Sensory: taste from Somatic Sensory,
epiglottis
epiglottis, external ear, Special Sensory,
Visceral Sensory from aortic body and aortic
visceral structures Visceral Sensory,
arch receptors, pharynx, larynx, viscera of thorax
Jugular Foramen Motor: Visceral Motor Superior and Inferior
X Vagus and most of abdomen
(Occipital & Temporal) muscles of pharynx and (efferent), Laryngeal Nerves
Visceral Motor (parasympathetic)
larynx, smooth muscle Pharyngeal Motor
to pharynx, larynx, viscera of thorax and most of
and glands of the viscera (efferent, branchial
abdomen
of the thorax and efferent)
Pharyngeal Motor to palatoglossus,
abdomen
most muscles of pharynx and palate, and
laryngeal muscles

Jugular Foramen
(Occipital & Temporal) Motor to two muscles:
Somatic Motor to sternocleidomastoid and
XI Accessory Spinal sternocleidomastoid Somatic Motor (efferent) None listed
trapezuis
portion- Formen trapezius
Magnum (Occipital)

Hypoglossal Canal Somatic Motor to all intrinsic and most extrinsic

XII Hypoglossal Motor to tongue muscles Somatic Motor (efferent) None listed
(Occipital) muscles of the tongue