Cranial
Nerves 7: Facial
(VII)
- Observe for Any Facial
Droop or Asymmetry
- Ask Patient to do the following, note any lag, weakness, or
asymmetry:
- Raise eyebrows
- Close both eyes to resistance
- Smile
- Frown
- Show teeth
- Puff out cheeks
- Upper motor neurone lesions will spare the forehead due to
bilateral representation in the cerebral cortex.
- Thus UMN lesion patients can raise both eyebrows, but those
with LMN lesions will do this asymmetrically.
- Spontaneous smiles may appear normal in patients with
UMN lesions (eg if you crack a really funny joke).
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