Underside view
of brain showing
origin of cranial nerves and their connections
Within the
PNS there are 12 pairs
of cranial nerves (which link directly to the brain) and 31 pairs of
spinal
nerves (which link, to the spinal cord and then to the brain). Cranial
nerves are distributed to the head and neck regions of the body, with
one
conspicuous exception: the tenth cranial nerve, called the Vagus. In
addition
to supplying structures in the neck, the Vagus is distributed to
structures
located in the chest and abdomen. Vision, auditory and vestibular
sensation,
and taste are mediated by the second, eighth, and seventh cranial
nerves,
respectively. Cranial nerves also mediate motor functions of the head,
the eyes, the face, the tongue, and the larynx, as well as the muscles
that function in chewing and swallowing. To see the
connections
to the brain closer, click here: CRANIAL
CONNECTIONS.
To see a
drawing of the 31 spinal
nerves click HERE.
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