Cranial Nerves

There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves. They are all linked directly to the brain and do not
enter the spinal cord. They allow sensory information to pass from the organs of the head,
such as the eyes and ears, to the brain and also convey motor information from the brain
to these organs—for example, directions for moving the mouth and lips in speech. The cranial nerves are named for the body part they serve, such as the optic nerve for the
eyes, and are also assigned Roman numerical, following anatomical convention. Of these,
some are associated with sensory information and others with motor information, while
some are associated with both the kinds of information.