Cranial Nerve Testing

Question 1

Name all 12 cranial nerves

Answer 1

Olfactory, Optic, Oculumotor, Trochlear, Trigeminal, Abducens, Facial, Vestibulocochlear, Glossopharyngeal, vagus, accessory, hypoglossal

Question 2

How is cranial nerve I and II tested?

Answer 2

CN I- smell test, ability to identify common/ familiar odors

CN II-eye test, eye chart (SNELLEN)

Question 3

How do you test CN III, IV, VI?

Answer 3

Smooth pursuit test

Question 4

How do you test CN V?

Answer 4

Using a safety pin and a q-tip alternate and ask the patient to identify dull or sharp is used to test sensory

Have patient protrude, retrude, and laterally deviate jaw- tests motor

Question 5

How do you test CN VII?

Answer 5

Have patient distinguish between sweet and salt on the anterior portion of the tongue for sensory testing

Have mimic facial expression

Question 6

How do you test CN VIII?

Answer 6

Sound testing: bring ticking watch towards ear from behind and record distance heard and compare with norms, Weber or Rinne test

Question 7

What is the frequency of the tuning fork used in the Rinne and Weber testing of the vestibulocochlear nerve?

Answer 7

512 Hz

Question 8

How do you test CN IX

Answer 8

Gag reflex using tongue depressor for motor

Sensory component is tested by assess patient’s ability to taste sour and bitter on the posterior portion (posterior 1/3) of the tongue

Question 9

CN X is tested by?

Answer 9

Assessing ability to lift uvula during invoked gag reflex with a tongue depressor (tested at the same time as the motor component of the Glossopharyngeal nerve/ CN IX)

Question 10

How do you test the CN XI?

Answer 10

Have patient shrug shoulders and apply manual resistance to the top of the shoulder in the direction of shoulder depression

Question 11

How do you test CN XII?

Answer 11

Have the patient stick out his/ her tongue and look for deviation to one side