Some Special Nerves

All the information I gathered last week that was very interesting to me was about all the major nerves we have within our body. From the brain to the legs, and knowing what each one does is very interesting and important to me for what I'm in store for the near future in my work field (Surgical Technology).

It all starts with the cranial nerves (12), and the types of nerves they are. Each one has a specific number going from 1-12.

#1 - Olfactory Nerve: Sensory nerve which function is smell.

#2- Optic Nerve: Sensory nerve which function is vision.

#3- Oculomotor Nerve: Mixed nerve which has multiple functions. Its sensory function is proprioception, somatic motor function is movement of the upper eyelid and eyeball, and its autonomic motor function alters lens for near vision and constricts pupil.

#4- Trochlear Nerve: Mixed nerve with two functions. Its sensory function is proprioception and its somatic motor function is movement of the eyeball.

#5- Trigeminal Nerve: Mixed nerve with two functions but consists of three major branches: Ophthalmic nerve, Maxillary Nerve, and Mandibular Nerve. Its functions for sensory is to convey impulses for touch, pain, and temperature sensations and proprioception. Its somatic motor function is chewing.

#6- Abducens Nerve: Mixed nerve with two functions. The sensory function is propriception, and the somatic motor function is movement of the eyeball.

#7 Facial Nerve: Mixed Nerve with three functions. Sensory function is taste and proprioception. Somatic Motor function is facial expression. Autonomic Motor function is secretion of tears and saliva.

#8 Vestibulocochlear Nerve: Sensory nerve with two functions. Vestibular branch function conveys impulses related to equilibrium, and Cochlear branch function conveys impulses for hearing.

#9 Glossopharyngeal Nerve: Mixed nerve with three functions. One is the sensory function that takes care of taste and somatic sensations (touch, pain, temperature) from posterior third of tongue; proprioception in swallowing muscles; monitoring of blood pressure; monitoring of O2 and CO2 in blood for regulation of breathing. Somatic motor function elevates the pharynx during swallowing and speech. Autonomic motor function stimulates secretion of saliva.

#10 Vagus Nerve: Mixed nerve with three major functions. Sensory function also takes care of taste and somatic sensations (touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception) from epiglottis and pharynx; monitoring of blood pressure; monitoring of 02 and CO2 in blood for regulation of breathing; sensations from visceral organs in thorax and abdomen. Somatic motor function controls swallowing, coughing, and voice production. Autonomic motor function handles muscle contraction and relaxation in organs of the GI tract; slowing of the heart rate; secretion of digestive fluids.

#11 Accessory Nerve: Mixed nerve that has two functions. Sensory function takes care of proprioception, and somatic motor functions swallowing and movement of head and shoulders.

#12 Hypoglossal Nerve: Mixed nerve with two functions. Sensory functions proprioception, and motor functions movement of tongue during speech and swallowing.