Facial Nerve Pathways

Question 1

What are the four functional divisions of the facial nerve?

Answer 1

branchial motor
visceral motor
somatic sensory
visceral sensory

Question 2

Where is the facial motor nerve nucleus located?

Answer 2

ventrolateral pons

Question 3

What is so special about how the facial nerve exits the brainstem?

Answer 3

it goes up and over the abducens nerve

Question 4

Damage to the facial motor nucleus causes what defect?

Answer 4

ipsilateral facial paralysis

Question 5

Damage to the facial nerve causes what deficit?

Answer 5

ipsilateral facial paralysis

Question 6

How does the corneal blink reflex work?

Answer 6

• nociceptive signals from cornea enter spinal trigeminal nucleus and synapse with 2 interneurons
• 2 interneurons run to each facial motor nucleus
• motor neurons run ipsilateral to the orbicularis oculi muscles causing bilateral blinking

Question 7

Corticalbulbar tract and facial muscles relation

Answer 7

superior face is innervated by corticalbulbar fibers bilaterally, inferior face is innervated only contralaterally