Facial Nerve

Facial nerve
Nerve: Facial nerve
Cranial nerve VII
The nerves of the scalp, face, and side of neck.

Latin nervus facialis
Gray's subject #202 901
MeSH Facial+Nerve
Cranial Nerves
CN I – Olfactory
CN II – Optic
CN III – Oculomotor
CN IV – Trochlear
CN V – Trigeminal
CN VI – Abducens
CN VII – Facial
CN VIII – Vestibulocochlear
CN IX – Glossopharyngeal
CN X – Vagus
CN XI – Accessory
CN XII – Hypoglossal
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The facial nerve is the seventh (VII) of twelve paired cranial nerves. It emerges from the
brainstem between the pons and the medulla, and controls the muscles of facial expression,
and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue
and oral cavity. It also supplies preganglionic parasympathetic fibers to several head and neck
ganglia.
Course
The motor part of the facial nerve arises from the facial nerve nucleus in the pons while the
sensory part of the facial nerve arises from the nervus intermedius.
The motor part and sensory part of the facial nerve enters the petrous temporal bone into the
internal auditory meatus (intimately close to the inner ear) then runs a tortuous course
(including two tight turns) through the facial canal, emerges from the stylomastoid foramen
and passes through the parotid gland, where it divides into five major branches. Though it
passes through the parotid gland, it does not innervate the gland (This is the responsibility of
cranial nerve IX, the glossopharyngeal nerve).
The facial nerve forms the geniculate ganglion prior to entering the facial canal.
Branches
 Greater petrosal nerve - provides parasympathetic innervation to lacrimal gland,

sphenoid sinus, frontal sinus, maxillary sinus, ethmoid sinus, nasal cavity, as well as
special sensory taste fibers to the palate via the Vidian nerve.
 Nerve to stapedius - provides motor innervation for stapedius muscle in middle ear
 Chorda tympani - provides parasympathetic innervation to submandibular gland and
sublingual gland and special sensory taste fibers for the anterior 2/3 of the tongue.
Outside skull (distal to stylomastoid foramen)
 Posterior auricular nerve - controls movements of some of the scalp muscles around
the ear
 Branch to Posterior belly of Digastric and Stylohyoid muscle
 Five major facial branches (in parotid gland) - from top to bottom:
o Temporal (frontal) branch of the facial nerve
o Zygomatic branch of the facial nerve
o Buccal branch of the facial nerve
o Marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve
o Cervical branch of the facial nerve
A traditional mnemonic device for the five major branches of the facial nerve is, "The Zebra
Bummed My Cat." Other mnemonics for the divisions of the facial nerve include, "Today
Zoe Bummed My Car", "To Zanzibar By Motor Car", "Tell Ziggy Bob Marley Called", "Two
Zulus buggered my cat" and "The Zoo Bought Monkey Clothes." and in Hindi "Tum Zyaada
Buckbuck Mat K(C)aro".[citation needed] A mnemonic device including the posterior auricular
nerve is, "Perhaps A Tiny Zebra Bit My Cheek".
Embryology
The facial nerve is developmentally derived from the hyoid arch (second pharyngeal
branchial arch). The motor division of the facial nerve is derived from the basal plate of the
embryonic pons, while the sensory division originates from the cranial neural crest.
Function
Efferent
Its main function is motor control of most of the muscles of facial expression. It also
innervates the posterior belly of the digastric muscle, the stylohyoid muscle, and the
stapedius muscle of the middle ear. All of these muscles are striated muscles of
branchiomeric origin developing from the 2nd pharyngeal arch.
The facial also supplies parasympathetic fibers to the submandibular gland and sublingual
glands via chorda tympani. Parasympathetic innervation serves to increase the flow of saliva
from these glands. It also supplies parasympathetic innervation to the nasal mucosa and the
lacrimal gland via the pterygopalatine ganglion.
The facial nerve also functions as the efferent limb of the corneal reflex.
Afferent
In addition, it receives taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue via the
chorda tympani, taste sensation is sent to the gustatory portion of the solitary nucleus.
General sensation from the anterior two-thirds of tongue are supplied by afferent fibers of the
third division of the fifth cranial nerve (V-3). These sensory (V-3) and taste (VII) fibers travel
together as the lingual nerve briefly before the chorda tympani leaves the lingual Nerve to
enter the middle temporal fossa via the petrotympanic fissure. It thus joins the rest of the
facial nerve in the internal acoustic meatus before synapsing in the solitary nucleus. The cell
bodies of the Chorda tympani reside in the geniculate ganglion, and these parasympathetic
fibers synapse at the submandibular ganglion, attached To the lingual nerve.
The facial nerve also supplies a small amount of afferent innervation to the oropharynx below
the palatine tonsil. There is also a small amount of cutaneous sensation carried by the nervus
intermedius from the skin in and around the auricle (earlobe).
Location of Cell Bodies

The cell bodies for the facial nerve are grouped in anatomical areas called nuclei or ganglia.
The cell bodies for the afferent nerves are found in the geniculate ganglion for taste sensation.
The cell bodies for muscular efferent nerves are found in the facial motor nucleus whereas
the cell bodies for the parasympathetic efferent nerves are found in the superior salivatory
nucleus.
Pathology
People may suffer from acute facial nerve paralysis, which is usually manifested by facial
paralysis. Bell's palsy is one type of idiopathic acute facial nerve paralysis, which is more
accurately described as a multiple cranial nerve ganglionitis that involves the facial nerve,
and most likely results from viral infection and also sometimes as a result of Lyme disease.
Iatrogenic Bell's Palsy may also be as a result of an incorrectly placed dental local-anesthetic
(Inferior alveolar nerve block). Although giving the appearance of a hemi-plegic stroke,
effects dissipate with the drug.

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Facial nerve

Nerve: Facial nerve

Cranial nerve VII

The nerves of the scalp, face, and side of neck.

This box: view · talk · edit

 Greater petrosal nerve - provides parasympathetic innervation to lacrimal gland,

Outside skull (distal to stylomastoid foramen)

Location of Cell Bodies

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