Which nerves run from the brain to the surface of the skull?

Cranial Nerves run from the brain to the surface of the skull. There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves, each with a specific function and distribution.

They originate from the brain and exit the skull through small openings. These cranial nerves are named numerically, from the first to the twelfth nerve, and each has a specific function.

Of the twelve cranial nerves, the following four nerves emerge from the brainstem at the level of the midbrain and pons and run to the surface of the skull:

Olfactory nerve (I): This nerve is responsible for the sense of smell and runs from the olfactory bulb to the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity.

Optic nerve (II): This nerve carries visual information from the retina to the brain and runs from the back of the eye to the optic chiasm.

Oculomotor nerve (III): This nerve controls the movement of the eye and the size of the pupil and runs from the midbrain to the orbit.

Trochlear nerve (IV): This nerve controls the movement of the superior oblique muscle of the eye and runs from the midbrain to the orbit.

The remaining eight cranial nerves emerge from the brainstem at the level of the medulla and pons and exit the skull through various foramina in the skull base.