Nerves that extend both peripherally and centrally from neurons within the cranial ganglia are which type?

• A. Sensory
• B. Motor
• C. Mixed
• D. Parasympathetic

Answer: (A)

Neurons in cranial sensory ganglia are typically pseudounipolar, meaning each neuron sends one axon that splits into two branches: a peripheral process reaching sensory receptors and a central process traveling into the brainstem. This configuration lets the same neuron transmit information from the periphery directly toward the central nervous system. So nerves composed of these neurons extend both peripherally and centrally, classifying them as sensory. Motor nerves have their cell bodies in the CNS and project to muscles, not in cranial ganglia; mixed nerves would require a combination of sensory and motor fibers, which isn’t the pattern described here; parasympathetic pathways involve autonomic neurons and ganglia, not the cranial sensory ganglia with dual-directed axons.