Question

Which of the following cranial nerve controls the movement of tongue?

• A. V cranial nerve
• B. X cranial nerve
• C. XII cranial nerve
• D. VIII cranial nerve

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Cranial nerves are sensory, motor and mixed. Out of 12 pairs, $1^{st},2^{nd}$ and $8^{th}$ are sensory in origin and $3^{rd},4^{th},6^{th},11^{th}$ and $12^{th}$ are pure motor nerves and remaining are mixed nerves. $12^{th}$ cranial nerve is a hypoglossal nerve (hypo is below and glossia is tongue). This nerve innervates almost all muscles of tongue and thus controls the movement of tongue. This nerve arises from medulla oblongata which is a part of hind brain.