The intercranial parts of cranial nerves are situated within the cranial cavity. The nerves pass through different openings of the skull (including foramina, fissures, canals) to exit the cranial base and then distribute mainly in regions of head and neck.

However, one of the cranial nerves, the vagus nerve (CN X) (from Latin, vagus means "wanderer") continues its course in the trunk innervating various thoracic and abdominal organs.

Now identify the stumps of cranial nerves exiting the cranial cavity through various openings!

• I - Olfactory - cribriform plate
• II - Optic - optic canal
• III - Oculomotor - superior orbital fissure
• IV - Trochlear - superior orbital fissure
• V - Trigeminal which has three divisions:
  • V1 - Ophthalmic - superior orbital fissure
  • V2 - Maxillary - foramen rotundum
  • V3 - Mandibular - foramen ovale
• VI - Abducens - superior orbital fissure
• VII - Facial - internal acoustic meatus
• VIII - Vestibulocochlear - internal acoustic meatus
• IX - Glossopharyngeal - jugular foramen
• X - Vagus - jugular foramen
• XI - Accessory - jugular foramen
• XII - Hypoglossal - hypoglossal canal