Healthcare - Cranial Nerves

Function of Olfactory

(1) Smell

Function of Optic

(2) Vision

Function of Oculomotor

(3) Eye movement, pupil constriction

Function of Trochlear

Eye movement

Function of Trigeminal

(5) Sensory info from face and head, muscles for chewing

Function of Abducens

(6) Eye movement

Function of Facial

(7) Taste, sensory info for ear, controls muscles for facial expressions

Function of Auditory

(8) Hearing, balance

Function of Glossopharyngeal

(9) Taste, sensory info from tongue, tonsil, pharynx, and muscles for swallowing

Function of Vagus

(10) Sensory, motor, and autonomic functions for digestion and heart rate

Function of Accessory

(11) Controls muscles for head movement (sternocleidomastoid and trapezius)

Function of Hypoglossal

(12) muscles of tongue

Testing Olfactory

Tell patient to close their eyes, compress one nostril, and allow them to smell familiar scents with the other.

Testing optic

Snellen eye chart for distance vision, Jaeger chart for near vision, Ishihara test for testing colour vision, check peripheral vision with fingers, examine with opthalmoscope

Testing Oculomotor

Inspect size/shape of each pupil and test pupillary reaction with a penlight; moving eyes in a “H” pattern w/o moving head

Testing Trochlear

Move eyes in a “H’ pattern

Testing Trigeminal

Clench teeth and feel contraction of temporal and masseter muscles; eyes closed and lightly touch the temples, cheeks and jaw; able to talk

Testing Abducens

Move eyes in “H” pattern

Testing Facial

Raise eyebrows, frown, close eyes tightly, smile, show teeth, puff out cheeks and able to talk

Testing Auditory

Whisper words, rub patient’s hair, use a tuning fork

Testing Glossopharyngeal

Have patient swallow; use a penlight and tongue depressor, use the tongue depressor to hold the tongue down and have the patient say “ahhhhhhhh” check if uvula vibrates, moves up and down or side to side

testing vagus

Talking

Testing Accessory

Check sternocleidomastoid and trapezius with shoulder shrugs and cervical spine rotations

Testing Hypoglossal

Stick out tongue (should be straight); push the tongue against the inside of the cheek and check for strength; able to talk