Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Cranial Nerves

The cranial nerves are twelve paired nerves that emerge directly from the brain and brainstem, rather than the spinal cord, and supply sensory, motor, and autonomic functions chiefly to the head and neck. Designated by Roman numerals and by name, they govern smell, vision, eye movement, facial sensation and expressi…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 30× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2379-8572 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

The cranial nerves are twelve paired nerves that emerge directly from the brain and brainstem, rather than the spinal cord, and supply sensory, motor, and autonomic functions chiefly to the head and neck. Designated by Roman numerals and by name, they govern smell, vision, eye movement, facial sensation and expression, hearing and balance, taste, swallowing, phonation, and movement of the tongue and shoulders, with the vagus nerve extending autonomic control to the thorax and abdomen. Their nuclei, course through skull-base foramina, and peripheral distribution make their systematic examination a cornerstone of neurological diagnosis, as patterns of cranial nerve deficit localize disease within the brainstem, skull base, or peripheral course. Research relevant to this area examines third cranial nerve palsy in pediatric multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular causes of internuclear ophthalmoplegia, and neurosarcoidosis affecting cranial structures. Further work addresses the morphology of skull-base foramina such as the foramen ovale, neurovascular canals, ophthalmic neuralgia, meningeal and infectious syndromes, and the developmental and evolutionary patterning of the vertebrate brain and cranial region. The field connects neuroanatomy, neurology, and otolaryngology, given the cranial nerves' role in head and neck function. The journal publishes peer-reviewed research relevant to the cranial nerves, including cranial nerve palsies, skull-base anatomy, and the diagnosis of disorders affecting these nerves.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 30 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Cranial Nerves, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Otolaryngology Advances (ISSN 2379-8572).

Journal editorial board
Ioannis Chatzistefanou · Greece Heather Bortfeld · United States Heidi Silver · United States

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.