Cranial nerves are involved with some of our senses such as vision, hearing and taste, others control certain muscles in the head and neck. There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves that lead from the brain to the head, neck and trunk. Below is a list of Cranial Nerves and what they control.  

CN I Olfactory (smell)   

CN II Optic (ophthalmic, vision)   

CN III Oculomotor (moves eyelid and eyeball, adjusts the pupil and lens of the eye)   

CN IV Trochlear (eye movement)   

CN V Trigeminal (sensory and motor to facial muscles, chewing, facial sensations)

• The Trigeminal nerve includes 3 parts: V1, Ophthalmic V2 Maxillary nerve and V3 Mandibular nerve)   

CN VI Abducens (ophthalmic, eye movement)   

CN VII Facial (maxillary, taste, tears, saliva, facial expressions)   

CN VIII Vestibulocochlear (mandibular, hearing, and balance)   

CN IX Glossopharyngeal (swallowing, saliva, taste)   

CN X Vagus (control of PNS peripheral nervous system e.g., smooth muscles of the GI tract)   

CN XI Accessory (moving head and shoulders, swallowing)   

CN XII Hypoglossal (tongue muscles - speech and swallowing)