Facial Nerve Function
Facial Nerve Function - Related Videos
03:37
Performing Crush Axotomy on the Facial Nerve in a Mouse Model
0 Views •
2025
Source: Olmstead, D. N., et al., Facial Nerve Axotomy in Mice: A Model to Study Motoneuron Response to Injury. J. Vis. Exp. (2015).This video demonstrates the facial nerve crush procedure in a mouse, where blunt dissection through key landmarks exposes the facial nerve trunk at the stylomastoid foramen. Forceps are then used to compress the nerve trunk, inducing axonal damage and disrupting neuronal signal transmission.
03:34
Inducing a Facial Nerve Injury in a Rat Model
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2025
This video demonstrates a surgical protocol on a rat model, detailing steps from anesthesia preparation to facial nerve injury induction. This protocol is useful for studying nerve regeneration and surgical techniques in medical research.
10:11
Facial Nerve Axotomy in Mice: A Model to Study Motoneuron Response to Injury
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Cited by 27 •
2015
We present a surgical protocol detailing how to perform a cut or crush axotomy on the facial nerve in the mouse. The facial nerve axotomy can be employed to study the physiological response to nerve injury and test therapeutic techniques.
07:39
Subcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation to Relieve Neuropathic Facial Pain
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2025
Source: Jakobs, M., et al. Subcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Field Stimulation for Refractory Facial Pain. J. Vis. Exp. (2017)This procedure demonstrates the implantation of subcutaneous electrodes for trigeminal nerve stimulation to treat neuropathic facial pain. The electrodes are tunneled subcutaneously from the affected facial region to an infraclavicular pocket, where they are connected to an internal pulse generator (IPG). The IPG delivers electrical stimulation, activating mechanoreceptor...
09:35
Subcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Field Stimulation for Refractory Facial Pain
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Cited by 8 •
2017
Treating chronic or neuropathic facial pain can be challenging when medical or standard treatment fails. Subcutaneous nerve field stimulation is the least invasive form of neuromodulation and is used for chronic back pain. We applied this technology to treat chronic and neuropathic trigeminal facial pain.
FAQs
Different fiber groups produce distinct observable effects. Motor fibers control facial expression, parasympathetic fibers influence lacrimal and salivary gland activity, and sensory fibers carry taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. Because these functions can be examined separately, a clinician can compare findings across systems and use the pattern to support lesion localization.
A branch of the facial nerve activates the stapedius muscle in the ear. This action moderates sound transmission, so dysfunction may be considered alongside facial movement and glandular findings during assessment. Including the auditory component prevents evaluation from focusing only on visible asymmetry and reflects the nerve’s broader sensory, motor, and autonomic roles.
No single observation represents the entire nerve. Comparing forehead movement, eye closure, smiling, taste, tear production, and saliva production reveals which functional components remain intact or are impaired. This combined pattern provides more localization information than facial appearance alone and can also establish a baseline for tracking change during clinical monitoring.
Eye closure tests the motor supply to facial muscles and also reflects a protective function supported by facial movement. Comparing closure between sides can reveal asymmetry that may accompany other deficits. When interpreted with forehead movement, smiling, taste, and glandular findings, the result contributes to a broader assessment rather than serving as an isolated diagnosis.
A basic examination compares facial symmetry during forehead movement, eye closure, and smiling. The clinician may also assess taste on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and ask about tear or saliva production. These observations sample motor, sensory, and autonomic roles, creating a functional profile that can support diagnosis and subsequent monitoring.
Assessment is relevant when clinicians evaluate Bell’s palsy, trauma, tumors, or stroke. Repeating the same observations can document whether deficits persist, improve, or change over time. The findings help connect symptoms with affected facial nerve functions and provide a practical way to monitor patients while supporting the diagnostic process.