07/16/2026
The 12 Cranial Nerves — where they EXIT and what they DO.
Your brain doesn’t use the spinal cord to get to your head and neck. It has its own private exits called foramina.
Save this for exams:
I Cribriform plate - Smell
II Optic canal - Vision
III, IV, V1, VI Superior orbital fissure - Eye movers + sensation
V2 Foramen rotundum - Mid-face
V3 Foramen ovale - Lower face + chewing
VII & VIII Internal acoustic meatus → VII exits via stylomastoid foramen
IX, X, XI Jugular foramen - Throat, voice, organs
XII Hypoglossal canal - Tongue
Which foramen do you always mix up? Rotundum vs. Ovale gets everyone.
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