Cranial Nerves

Question 1

How do you test the C5 nerve root reflex?

Answer 1

Bicep reflex- elbow flexion

Question 2

How do you test the C6 nerve root reflex

Answer 2

Brachioradialis - elbow flexion

Question 3

How do you test the C7 spinal nerve tendon reflex

Answer 3

Triceps- elbow extension

Question 4

How do you test the L4 spinal nerve root tendon reflex

Answer 4

Patella tendon - knee extension

Question 5

How do you test the S1 nerve root tendon reflex

Answer 5

Achilles tendon- ankle plantarflexion

Question 6

What is cranial nerve 1 and how do you test it?

Answer 6

Olfactory

Block one nostril, close eyes, patient should be able to recognize object by smell

Question 7

What is cranial nerve 2 and how do you test it?

Answer 7

Optic nerve

Snellen eye chart

Or

Visual fields test- ( look at testers nose and then watching for finger movement in periphrial vision)

Question 8

What is cranial nerve 3 and how do you test it?

Answer 8

Oculomotor

Shine light into eye to watch for constriction or

Test if patient can track your finger as you draw an H in the air

Question 9

What is cranial nerve 5 and how do you test it?

Answer 9

Trigeminal nerve

Motor: palate temporalis/masseter as they clench jaw

Sensory: light touch assessment

Reflex: place finger on chin then use reflex hammer —> jaw protrusion

Question 10

What is cranial nerve 7 and how do you test it?

Answer 10

Facial nerve

Sensory: identify taste on tongue

Motor: Raise eyebrows, frown, puff cheeks/ facial movements

Question 11

What is cranial nerve 8 and how do you test it?

Answer 11

Vestibulocochlear

Hearing/balance

Finger rub test- can they hear it w/ eyes closed?

Stand behind patient and say 2 syllable words

Weber test- tuning fork on cranium- patient should hear in both ears equally

Rinne test- tuning fork at mastoid process

Question 12

What is cranial nerve 9 and how do you test it?

Answer 12

Glossopharangeal

Sensory- sour/bitter identification on posterior 1/3 of tongue

Motor - swallow or gag reflex

Question 13

What is cranial nerve 10 and how do you test it?

Answer 13

Vagus nerve

Sensory and motor for pharynx and larynx

Ask patient to say Ahhh and look for uvula deviations

Ask patient to swallow multiple times

Question 14

What is cranial nerve 11 and how do you test it?

Answer 14

Spinal accessory nerve

Shrug shoulders against resistance or slightly flex neck then contralaterally rotated

Question 15

What is cranial nerve 12 and how do you test it?

Answer 15

Hypoglossal nerve

Ask patient to stick out tongue and observe for lateral deviations