Nature and Uses of Primary Data Sources Page 1 of 14 ______________________________________________________________________.
cranial nerve - any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem. 1  nerve, nervus - any bundle of nerve fibers running to various organs and tissues of the body. 2  first cranial nerve, nervii olfactorii, olfactory nerve - a collective term for numerous olfactory filaments in the nasal mucosa.
The cranial nerves are an important collection of nerves, all of which travel directly to the brain rather than through the spinal cord, like most other nerves. The cranial nerves have several functions critical for day-to-day life, so they are an important focus for physicians, as well as patients affected by disorders of cranial nerve function. Unless you're a medical professional, it's not usually necessary to know all the details about each individual nerve.