CRANIAL NERVE TYPE FUNCTION

I (OLFACTORY) SENSORY Sense of smell

II (OPTIC) SENSORY Visual acuity

III (OCULOMOTOR) MOTOR Muscles that move the eye and lid,
pupillary constriction, lens accommodation

IV (TROCHLEAR) MOTOR Muscles that move the eye

V (TRIGEMINAL) MIXED Facial sensation, corneal reflex, mastication

VI (ABDUCENS) MOTOR Muscles that move the eye

VII (FACIAL) MIXED Facial expression and muscle movement,

salivation and tearing, taste, sensation in
the ear
CRANIAL NERVES TYPE FUNCTION

VIII (ACOUSTIC) SENSORY Hearing and equilibrium

IX MIXED Taste, sensation in pharynx and tongue,

(GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL) pharyngeal muscle

X (VAGUS) MIXED Muscles of pharynx, larynx and soft

palate; sensation in external ear,
pharynx, larynx, thoracic and abdominal
viscera

XI (SPINAL ACCESSORY) MOTOR Sternocleidomastoid and trapezius

muscles

XII (HYPOGLOSSAL) MOTOR Movement of the tongue

Grade Muscle Activity

0 No movement

1 Trace of muscle contraction

2 Active movement without gravity

3 Active movement against gravity

4 Active movement against gravity/resistance

5 Normal
Vibration Sense

Examination Technique:

•use a 128 hertz vibration fork.

•apply the stimulus over the distal phalanx of the index finger or large toe.

•ask the patient to report whether they feel vibration sense and then to
report when it stops in order to assess the minimal threshold to perceive
the stimulus.

•compare to your own extremities.

Dermatome Location Corresponding Spinal Level

Shoulders C4, C5

Inner and outer forearms C6 and T1

Thumbs and little fingers C6, C7, C8

Front of both thighs L2

Middle and side of both calves L4, L5

Little toes S1
 8. Tactile discrimination
• a. Stereognosis – place a familiar
object in the patient’s hand (coin,
key, pencil) and ask the patient to
identify.
•
• b. Graphesthesia – using a blunt end
of a pen, draw a circle in the
patient’s palm then ask patient to
identify figures.
•