Cranial Nerves 7: Facial (VII)

  • Observe for Any Facial Droop or Asymmetry
  • Ask Patient to do the following, note any lag, weakness, or asymmetry:
    1. Raise eyebrows
    2. Close both eyes to resistance
    3. Smile
    4. Frown
    5. Show teeth
    6. 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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5th Cranial Nerve
Trigeminal
Facial nerve