There are 12 types of cranial nerves:
I Olfactory-smell
II Optic-vision
III Oculomotor-eyelid and eyeball movement
IV Trochlear-innervates superior obliqueturns eye downward and laterally
V Trigeminal-chewing face & mouth touch & pain
VI Abducens-turns eye laterally
VII Facial-controls most facial expressions secretion of tears & salivataste
VIII Vestibulocochlear(auditory)-hearing equillibrium sensation
IX Glossopharyngeal-taste senses carotid blood pressure
X Vagus-senses aortic blood pressure slows heart rate stimulates digestive organstaste
XI Spinal Accessory-controls trapezius & sternocleidomastoidcontrols swallowing movements
XII Hypoglossal-controls tongue movements
There are actually 13 nerves but only 12 cranial are recognized. They range from sensory, motor, or mixed. They stem from the spinal cord and the brain stem. Each with it's own function are important to our daily life and function.
If any of these were damaged it could be because of a stroke which would effect many of the nerves. One that would be most obvious would be the facial nerve. When a person has a stroke you can tell because the left side of their face is droopy and paralyzed because the facial nerve was damaged.
