Video - Cranial nerves

The cranial nerves are a set of 12 nerves that originate in the brain and the brainstem. They supply the muscles and skin of the head, and some of the muscles within the neck, and provide some visceral innervation in the chest and abdomen. The cranial nerves are numbered I through XII, starting with the nerve closest to the brainstem. The olfactory nerve (I) is unique in that it doesn't supply any muscles or skin; it's responsible for smell perception. The remaining 11 cranial nerves supply various muscles and skin in the head, as well as some mucous membranes and glands. Each nerve has a specific function, such as tasting food (II), controlling blinking (III), or supplying sensation to part of the face (V).