4.

) Briefly enumerate and explain the different general and specific functions of all the
cranial nerves.
There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves they are categorized by their function: sensory
function responsible for the general senses and the motor function where it is divided
into somatic motor which they innervate skeletal muscles and parasympathetic
innervates the glands, smooth and cardiac muscle. All the cranial nerves are designated
by roman numerals starting from I to XI. In the sensory function there are only three
nerves these are Olfactory (I) responsible for smelling, Optic (II) responsible for vision,
Vestibulocochlear (VIII) responsible for hearing and balance. While for the somatic
motor there are four cranial nerves trochlear (IV) responsible for downward, outward
and inward eye movements, Abducens (VI) responsible for outward eye movement,
Accessory (XI) responsible for muscles in neck and hypoglossal (XII) responsible for
muscles in the tongue. For the Oculomotor (III) has somatic motor function and
parasympathetic responsible for the four muscles in the eyes and pupil response. And
for the trigeminal (V) it has sensory and somatic motor function responsible for sensory
to face and teeth. The cranial nerves that have the three functions: sensory, somatic
motor and parasympathetic are the Facial (VII) responsible for sense of taste and
moving muscles for facial expression, Glossopharyngeal (IX) responsible for sending
sensory information from the sinuses, Vagus (X) it is the most important
parasympathetic in the body because it is responsible for communicating sensation
information from the ear canal and other parts of the throat and it sends sensory
information on the thoracic and abdominal organs