* The 8th cranial nerve. The vestibulocochlear nerve has a cochlear part (COCHLEAR NERVE) which is concerned with hearing and a vestibular part (VESTIBULAR NERVE) which mediates the sense of balance and head position. The fibers of the cochlear nerve originate from neurons of the SPIRAL GANGLION and project to the cochlear nuclei (COCHLEAR NUCLEUS). The fibers of the vestibular nerve arise from neurons of Scarpa's ganglion and project to the VESTIBULAR NUCLEI. (MSH) * The eighth cranial nerve composed of the acoustic nerve and the vestibular nerve. The nerve travels from the inner ear, enters the cranial cavity through the internal auditory foramen and joins the brainstem. The auditory nerve conveys impulses from the cochlea of the inner ear to the auditory nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular nerve carries information from the labyrinths of the inner ear to the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. (NCI) * cranial nerve concerned with hearing, balance and head position; the 8th cranial nerve which branches into two parts, a cochlear part integral to hearing and a vestibular part which mediates the sense of balance and head position; also called the vestibulocochlear nerve. (CSP)