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[[Image:brainstemcranialnervespyramids.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The brainstem, cranial nerves and pyramids. © BioMed Archive.]]

[[Image:brainstemcranialnervespyramids.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The brainstem, cranial nerves and pyramids. © BioMed Archive.]]

Cranial nerves are those nerves which arise from the brain and brain stem rather than the spinal cord. Nerves arising from the spinal cord are the [[PNS Structure - Anatomy & Physiology|peripheral nerves]]. There are 12 cranial nerves,  

Cranial nerves are those nerves which arise from the brain and brain stem rather than the spinal cord. Nerves arising from the spinal cord are the [[PNS Structure - Anatomy & Physiology|peripheral nerves]]. There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves and these pairs of nerves passage through foramina in the skull, either individually or in groups.

There are three main groups of cranial nerves; special senses, innervation of the head muscles and innervation of structures originating from brancial arches. The special senses cranial nerves include the olfactory, ocular and vestibulocochlear. Cranial nerves related to the innervation of the head muscles include the oculomotor, trochlear, abducens and the hypoglossal nerves. Cranial nerves related to innervation of structures originating from branchial arches includes the trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus and accessory nerves.

==Cranial Nerve Location and Routes==

==Cranial Nerve Location and Routes==