Final answer:
The jugular foramen is the skull opening through which the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves pass. It is situated immediately inferior to the internal acoustic meatus and serves as an exit for several cranial nerves and venous return blood from the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves pass through the jugular foramen. This foramen is located immediately inferior to the internal acoustic meatus and is the exit point for several cranial nerves from the brain, as well as for the venous return blood leaving the brain. The internal acoustic meatus allows passage for the vestibulocochlear nerve, which is responsible for the sensations of hearing and balance, and the facial nerve, which supplies the muscles of the face. The foramen ovale is involved in the passage of a major sensory nerve to the lateral head, cheek, chin, and lower teeth. The foramen magnum is a large opening through which the spinal cord emerges and the vertebral arteries enter the cranium but is not the passage for the nerves in question.