Facial nerve Flashcards
Fibres of facial nerve
- General somatic afferent (GSA)
- Special visceral afferent (SVA)
- General visceral efferent (GVE)
- Special visceral efferent (SVE, brachiomotor)
Origin of facial nerve
Cerebellopontine angle(motor and sensory roots)
Facial nerve exits skull through
Stylomastoid foramen
Facial nerve nuclei
- Motor nucleus of facial nerve (SVE)
- Superior salivatory nucleus (GVE)
- Nucleus of solitary tract (SVA)
- Principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve (GSA)
Associated ganglia of facial nerve
Geniculate ganglion(pterygopalatine ganglion, otic ganglion, submandibular ganglion)
What are the main parts of the facial nerve
- Intracranial
- Intratemporal
- Extracranial
Parts and branches of the intracranial part of the facial nerve
Origin-> Internal accoustic meatus(no branches)
Parts and branches of the Intratemportal part of the facial nerve
- Internal accoustic meatus-> Stylomastoid foramen
- Greater petrosal nerve
- Nerve to stapedius muscle
- Chorda tympani
Parts and branches of the Extracranial part of the facial nerve
- After stylomastoid foramen
- Posterior auricular nerve
- Digastric branch
- Stylohyoid branch
- Parotid plexus(Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Marginal, cervical)
Main functions of facial nerve
- Motor innervation to muscles of facial expression (SVE)
- Taste to anterior two thirds of tongue and palate (SVE)
- Parasympathetic innervation of lacrimal, nasal, palatine and salivary glands(except parotid)(GVE)
- Sensation to part of auricle and retroauricular region
Sensations of facial nerve
- Motor and sensory
Intracranial course of Facial nerve
Origin of motor root of facial nerve
- Motor nucleus of facial nerve at lower pontine tegmentum
Intracranial course of Facial nerve
Merge with fibres of the **superior salivatory nucleus **and then pass to floor of fourth ventricle
Motor root axons
Intracranial course of Facial nerve
- The motor root axons loop around the nucleus of this nerve before exiting brainstem at the cerebellopontine angle
Abducens nerve
Intracranial course of Facial nerve
Fibres of the sensory root travel towards this structure to reach the nucleus of solitary tract
Medulla
Intracranial course of Facial nerve
Nucleus of solitary tract
Visceral sensory part of brainstem involved with relaying signals of satiety
Further fibers projected to principal sensory nucleus of trigeminal nerve
Intratemporal course of Facial nerve
Facial nerve roots course as they leave cranial cavity
Via **internal acoustic meatus **to enter facial canal in petrous part of temporal bone
Here they fuse to form facial nerve proper
Intratemporal course of Facial nerve
Facial nerve roots make sharp anterior to posterior turn at this point
Geniculum of facial nerve
Intratemporal course of Facial nerve
Facial nerve roots enlarge at this point
Geniculate ganglion
Intratemporal course of Facial nerve
Contains the cell bodies of the sensory neurons of the facial nerve
Geniculate ganglion