Cranial nerves

Cranial nerves are nerves which start directly from the brainstem instead of the spinal cord.

In human anatomy, there are exactly 12 pairs of them:

1. Olfactory nerve (I)
2. Optic nerve (II)
3. Oculomotor nerve (III)
4. Trochlear nerve (IV)
5. Trigeminal nerve (V)
6. Abducens nerve (VI)
7. Facial nerve (VII)
8. Vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII), sometimes called the auditory nerve
9. Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX)
10. Vagus nerve (X)
11. Accessory nerve (XI), sometimes called the spinal accessory nerve
12. Hypoglossal nerve (XII)