| Cranial Nerve | Afferent (Sensory) | Efferent (Motor) | Test |
| olfactory (CN I) | smell | | identify familiar odors |
| optic (CN II) | sight | | test visual fields and visual acuity |
| oculomotor (CN III) | | voluntary: levator of eyelid; superior, medial and inferior recti, inferior oblique muscle of eyeball. autonomic: smooth muscle of eyeball | upward, downward, and medial gaze
reaction to light |
| trochlear (CN IV) | | voluntary: superior oblique muscle of eyeball | downward and inward gaze |
| trigeminal (CN V) | touch and pain of skin of face, mucous membrane of nose, sinuses, mouth, anterior tongue | voluntary: muscles of mastication | corneal reflex
face sensation
clench teeth and push down on chin to separate jaw |
| abducens (CN VI) | | voluntary: lateral rectus muscle of eyeball | lateral gaze |
| facial (CN VII) | taste on anterior tongue | voluntary: facial muscles
autonomic: lacrimal, submandibular, and sublingual glands | close eyes tight
smile and show teeth
whistle and puff cheeks
identify familiar tastes |
| vestibulocochlear (CN VIII) | hearing and balance | | hearing tests
balance and coordination tests |
| glossopharyngeal (CN IX) | touch and pain in posterior tongue, pharynx
taste on posterior tongue | voluntary: pharynx muscle
autonomic: parotid gland | gag reflex
ability to swallow |
| vagus (CN X) | touch and pain in pharynx, larynx, and bronchii
taste on tongue and epiglottis | voluntary:muscles of palate, pharynx and larynx
autonomic: thoracic and abdominal viscera | gag reflex
ability to swallow
say "ahh" |
| accessory (CN XI) | | voluntary: sternocleidomastoid and trapezius | resisted shoulder shrug |
| hypoglossal (CN XII) | | voluntary: muscles of tongue | tongue protrusion |
