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Cranial Nerve XII - Hypoglossal Nerve

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2015

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mycontentbreak The hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII) is the twelfth and final pairing of cranial nerves, positioned at the back of the brain and numbered Roman numeral XII. They arise from the area between the pons at the base of the brain stem and the spinal column and pass into the tongue. These are mostly motor nerves that carry impulses to muscles that move the tongue to assist in speaking, chewing, and swallowing.