Exam 1: Unit III: CN VII; Facial Nerve Flashcards
What type of fibers does the Facial nerve carry?
(mixed CN)
- motor and sensory (special sensory for taste)
- parasympathetic fibers
What is know as the “Nerve of Facial Expression”?
Facial Nerve; CN VII
-b/c innervates many facial muscles
What is the nucleus that many preganglionic parasympathetic fibers come from that contribute to the Facial nerve?
superior salivary nucleus
Where do sensory fibers that are carried in CN VII terminate (nucleus of termination)?
upper part of the solitary nucleus
some call it solitary tract b/c the nucleus is so long
Where are the cell bodies of first order sensory neurons for the facial nerve located?
geniculate ganglion
analogous to trigeminal ganglion
What peripheral ganglion are associated with the facial nerve?
- geniculate ganglion
- pterygopalatine ganglion
- submandibular ganglion
What type of sensory information does the Facial nerve carry?
- general sensation from external ear and lateral tympanic membrane
- taste (ant. 2/3)
Where are the cell bodies for the sensory information carried in the facial nerve located? Where do they go synapse in?
geniculate ganglion (cell bodies of 1st order sensory neurons) axons will then carry info to solitary nucleus
What are the specific fibers that convey taste from the anterior part of the tongue carried in?
chorda tympani (of CN VII)
Describe the sensory pathway of the facial nerve.
- What does it supply, where does it go, and where does it synapse
Carries:
- general sensation from external ear and lateral tympanic membrane
- Taste info from ant. 2/3 tongue (via chorda tympani)
Carried to: geniculate ganglion
Synapses: solitary nucleus
What is the division line for the anterior 2/3 and the posterior 1/3 of the tongue?
sulcus terminalis
What is the primary nucleus of origin called for the facial nerve?
motor nucleus of the facial nerve
What are the axons in the motor pathway for the facial nerve from?
LMNs from motor nucleus of facial nerve
In general, what is the pathway for the LMN axons coming from the motor nucleus of the facial nerve?
exit the CNS, travel THROUGH geniculate ganglion and innervate muscles of facial expression
Where does the motor nucleus of the facial nerve receive information from?
- both cerebral hemispheres (note on muscles of inf. face)
- reticular formation
What is so interesting about the muscles in the inferior part of the face that the facial nerve supplies and where they receive information from?
the part of the motor nucleus of the facial nerve supplying muscles in inferior part of face receives info from ONLY the contralateral cortex
Where do the preganglionic parasympathetic fibers in the facial nerve come from? Where do they synapse?
Come from: superior salivary nucleus
Synapse in: pterygopalatine ganglion or submandibular ganglion
Where do the postganglionic fibers in the parasympathetic pathway of the facial nerve supply?
- lacrimal gland
- submandibular gland
- small glands in oral and nasal cavities
What is the apparent origin of the facial nerve?
laterally in the medullopontine sulcus (or cerebellopontine recess)
What is the path of fibers from the motor nucleus of the facial nerve before it exits the CNS?
first travel posteriorly and arch around the abducens nucleus
How many roots are present at the apparent origin of the facial nerve?
two
- Motor Root (facial nerve proper)
- Intermediate nerve–> carries sensory and parasympathetic fibers
What do both roots of the facial nerve enter into upon exiting the CNS?
enter the internal acoustic meatus, located in petrous part of the temporal bone