Question

The vagus nerve is the cranial nerve, numbering
A. 10
B. 9
C. 7
D. 5

Answer 1

Hint: In the body, the vagus cranial nerve is the longest known cranial nerve. It consists of both afferent and different sensory and motor nerves.

Complete answer:
Cranial nerves are usually named as per the structure or function of the respective nerves. For say, smell is supplied by the olfactory nerve and in the face, motor innervation is provided by the facial nerve. As the first documentation, record and discussion of the nerves was done in Latin, several nerves still maintain their Latin names like the trochlear nerve, which was named as per its structure, the trigeminal nerve which is named as per its components and the vagus nerve which was named for its drifting route.
The vagus nerve has been identified as cranial nerve 10. It originates in the space between the pons present at the base of the stem of the brain and the spine column. It extends down in the chest as well as the abdomen through the neck. The vagus nerve comprises both sensory and motor nerves.

So, the correct answer is option “A” that is the vagus nerve is the cranial nerve, numbering 10.

Note: The 1 to 12 cranial nerves in order includes: the olfactory nerve (1), the optic nerve (2), the oculomotor nerve (3), the trochlear nerve (4), the trigeminal nerve (5), the abducens nerve (6), the facial nerve (7), the vestibulocochlear nerve (8), the glossopharyngeal nerve (9), the vagus nerve (10), the spinal accessory nerve (11) and the hypoglossal nerve (12).