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CRANIAL NERVES

Introduction
As the brainstem matures, 3 motor columns and 3 sensory columns of cranial
nerve nuclei develop in an interrupted fashion throughout the length of the
brainstem. These nuclei subserve different cranial nerve functions. The nuclei are
classified as special or general, somatic or visceral and motor or sensory
(efferent or afferent).

CRANIAL NERVE VII (FACIAL NERVE)


Introduction
Cranial nerve VII is named facial nerve because one of the chief functions of the
nerve is the motor control of the muscles of facial expression. It is a mixed nerve
(consisting of both motor and sensory components) which is predominantly
motor in function. It is called nerve of the second branchial arch because its
elements are embryologicaly derived from the 2nd branchial arch to innervate the
other derivatives of the arch. It exits the brain stem ventro-laterally, at the
ponto-medullary junction, lateral to the abducens nerve and medial to the
vestibulocochlear nerve.
In addition to the control of the facial muscles, the nerve is also involved in the
conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue,
general sensation from the skin of the auricle, visceral sensation from the nasal
cavity and soft palate and in providing secreto-motor innervation to the lacrimal
and salivary glands (except parotid).
Functional components and deep nuclear origin
The cell bodies of the nerve fibres that lie within the brain stem form the nuclei
and those outside, form ganglia (of the autonomic system). There are 4 main
nuclei associated with the facial nerve and each of the nuclei subserve a
different function of the nerve. The types of nerve fibres that arise from these
nuclei are:
Special Visceral Efferent: which arise from the MOTOR NUCLEUS of facial
nerve in the pons and provide brachiomotor innervation to the muscles of facial
expression, platysma, posterior belly of digastric, stapedius and stylohyoid
muscles. These fibres, instead of moving forwards and leaving the brainstem,
moves backwards and loops around the abducens nucleus and then moves
forwards to form the fibres of the motor nerve proper and exits the brainstem at
the ponto-medullary junction or the ponto-cerebellar junction. The looping
creates a elevation in the floor of the fourth ventricle, called the facial colliculus.
General Visceral Efferent: which are preganglionic parasympathetic fibres that
arise from the LACRIMATORY and SUPERIOR SALIVATORY NUCLEUS in the brain

stem and provide secreto-motor innervation to the nasal (mucosal), lacrimal,


sublingual and submandibular salivary glands.
Special Visceral Afferent: which carry special sensations of taste from the
anterior two-thirds of the tongue and terminate in the upper portion of the
NUCLEUS TRACTUS SOLITARIUS (gustatory nucleus).
General Somatic Afferent: which carry general sensation (touch, pain and
temperature) from the skin of the auricle (back of ear, pinna and external
auditory meatus) to the SPINAL NUCLEUS of the trigeminal nerve. [N.B. there is
the mesencephalic nucleus and the pontine nucleus of trigeminal nerve as well]
General Visceral Afferent: which carry sensation from the nasal cavity and the
soft palate.
Central connections

Superficial origin
Course
Relations
Branches of communication
Branches of distribution
Applied aspects

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