pairs (C1-C8), 12 thoracic pairs (T1-T12), 5 lumbar pairs (L1-L5), 5 sacral pairs (S1-S5), and 1 coccygeal pair. The spinal nerves are part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). CRANIAL NERVE Cranial nerves are nerves that emerge directly from the brain , in contrast to spinal nerves , which emerge from