What is the function of the cochlear nerve?

• A. Carries the signals from the cochlea of the inner ear to the brain.
• B. Protects the middle ear from infection.
• C. Balances the body via the vestibular system.
• D. Transmits sound directly from the eardrum to the inner ear.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that this nerve carries auditory information from the inner ear to the brain. Hair cells in the cochlea transduce sound vibrations into electrical signals, and the neurons of the spiral ganglion form the cochlear nerve that ferries those signals into the brainstem and onward to the auditory cortex for perception of sound. This pathway is about transmitting neural signals, not about protecting the middle ear, maintaining balance (that’s the vestibular system), or moving sound energy directly through tissues.