Cranial Nerves

Twelve pairs of special nerves that emerge directly from the brain or from the brainstem. They are either sensory, conveying signals of sensory impressions to the brain, or motor, sending signals from the brain to muscles and organs. The sensory nerves are the olfactory nerve, optic nerve, trigeminal nerve that relates to mouthfeel, three nerves that register taste impressions, and the vagus nerve that links parts of the stomach to the brain.