12 Cranial Nerves

  1. Olfactory: This sensory nerve transmits the sense of smell or odor.

  2. Optic: This sensory nerve transmits the sense of vision or sight.

  3. Oculomotor: This motor nerve manages many eye movements.

  4. Trochlear: This motor nerve also controls some eye movements.

  5. Trigeminal: This combination motor and sensory nerve manages chewing

  6. Abducens: This primarily motor nerve controls eye abduction.

  7. Facial: This combination motor and sensory nerve controls facial expressions, the tongue and the salivary glands.

  8. Acoustic: This sensory nerve transmits the sense of hearing

  9. Glossopharyngeal: This combination motor and sensory nerve controls gustatory or taste impulses and the secretion of saliva from the parotid gland.

  10. Vagus: This combination motor and sensory nerve controls parts of the respiratory and the digestive systems such as the pharynx and swallowing.

  11. Spinal accessory: This motor nerve controls the movement of the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles of the shoulder.

  12. Hypoglossal: This motor nerve controls speech and swallowing.