Olfactory Nerve

The olfactory nerve is the first cranial nerve (CN1) and relays sensory information about smell to the brain. It is the shortest cranial nerve and is the only cranial nerve with one trunk instead of two. The olfactory nerve does not join up with the brainstem like most of the other 12 cranial nerves. Damage to the olfactory nerve can can cause a loss of the sense of smell.