Question

Which cranial nerves are part of the parasympathetic nervous system and what is their function? What about the sympathetic nervous system?

I know that the oculomotor, facial, glossopharyngeal, and vagus nerve are part of the parasympathetic nervous system (I think), but what would be the function?

Answer 1

Parasympathetic function

1. Occulomotor nerve intervates the following muscle
   1. Sphincter puppillae - this muscle constricts the pupil
   2. Ciliary muscle - the muscle contracts the size of the lens
2. facial nerve:
   1. Via the great petrosal nerve supplies - nasal gland, Palatine gland, lacrimal gland, pharyngeal glands - increase their secretion
   2. This nerve also supplies sphenoidal sinus, frontal sinus, maxillary sinus, ethmoidal sinus.
   3. chordal tympani supplies - submandibular gland, sublingual gland
3. Glossopharyngeal nerve
   1. Supplies the parotid gland ( via auricule nerve, lesser petrosal nerve, auriculotemporal nerve) increase secretion
4. Vagus -
   1. Parasympathetic supply to heart - reduces heart rate
   2. Supplies all gastrointestinal glands upto transverse colon - increase secretion