Cranial Nerve Summary

Olfactory

Smell

Olfactory

Somatic

Olfactory

Dendrites exit cranium via cribriform plate

Optic

Vision

Optic

Somatic

Optic

Exits cranium via optic canal

Oculomotor

Extra-ocular muscles except superior oblique & lateral rectus

Ocularmotor

Motor to smooth muscles of eye (PS)

Oculomotor

Exits cranium via superior orbital fissure

Trochlear

Superior oblique muscle

Trochlear

Motor

Trochlear

Exits cranium via superior orbital fissure

Trigeminal

Sensory from face, orbit, nasal cavity, oral cavity, teeth, etc (V1-V3)

Trigeminal

Motor to chewing muscles (V3)

Trigeminal

Both

Trigeminal

Exits cranium via superior orbital fissure

• Ophthalmic (V1)

• Foramen Rotundum (Maxillary, V2)

• Foramen Ovale (Mandibular V3)

Abducent

Lateral rectus muscle

Abducent

Motor

Abducent

Exits cranium via superior orbital fissure

Facial

Taste to anterior

Facial

2/3 tongue

Facial

Motor to facial expression mm

Facial

Motor to lacrimal, sublingual & submandibular glands (PS)

Facial

Both

Facial

Passes through lateral acoustic meatus & exits cranium via stylomastoid foramen

Vestibulocochlear

Hearing and balance

Vestibulocochlear

Somatic

Vestibulocochlear

Passes through internal acoustic meatus to reach cochlea & vestibular apparatus

Glossopharyngeal

Taste to posterior 1/3 of tongue

Glossopharyngeal

Sensory from most of pharynx, etc

Glossopharyngeal

GVA from carotid body & sinus

Glossopharyngeal

Motor to one skeletal muscle (stylopharyngeus) & parotid gland (PS)

Glossopharyngeal

Both

Glossopharyngeal

Exits cranium via jugular foramen

Vagus

Various somatic sensory & motor functions, including motor to pharyngeal constrictor muscles and internsic laryngeal muscles

Vagus

Motor to thoracic & abdominal viscera (PS) + GVA

Vagus

Both

Vagus

Exits cranium via jugular foramen

Accessory

Trapezius & sternocleidomastoid

Accessory

Motor

Accessory

Exits cranium via jugular foramen

Hypoglossal

All intrinsic & extrinsic tongue muscles except one (Palatoglossus)

Hypoglossal

Motor

Hypoglossal

Exits cranium via hypoglossal canal