Learn about the 12 cranial nerves that emerge from the brain and innervate the head, neck and thorax. Find out their types, functions, clinical relevance and mnemonics to remember them. The cranial nerves are a set of 12 paired nerves that arise directly from the brain. The first two nerves (olfactory and optic) arise from the cerebrum, whereas the remaining ten emerge from the brainstem. The names of the cranial nerves relate to their function and they are numerically identified in roman numerals (I-XII). In this article, we shall summarise the anatomy of the cranial nerves – their origin, course, and functions. The cranial nerves (Latin: nervi craniales) are peripheral nerves emerging from the brain. There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves, and most of them arise from the brainstem. Along with their sensory and parasympathetic ganglia (collections of neuron cell bodies) the cranial nerves represent the cranial part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Cranial Nerves: Function, Anatomy, and Location: Cranial nerves are a group of nerves that arises from the brain. Cranial nerves are mainly of two types of conducting nerves; cranial nerves which arise from the brain and spinal nerves which arises from the spinal cord.
