Cranial Nerves Assessments
Optic Nerve Function (CN II)
Sight, Central & Peripheral Vision and Acuity
Olfactory Nerve
Cranial Nerve I
Optic Nerve
Cranial Nerve II
Glossopharyngeal Nerve Function (CN IX)
Control throat and tongue. Say Ahhh, gag, taste.
Vagus Nerve Function (CN X)
Control throat and tongue. Say Ahhh, gag, taste.
Abducens Nerve Function (CN VI)
Controls eye movements to the sides, make X.
Facial Nerve Function (CN VII)
Controls facial movements and expressions. 7 seas-puffer fish
Vestibulochlear (Acoustics) Nerve Function (CN VIII)
Controls hearing and balance. Whisper test, Weber test, Rinne test, fingers in front of ear,
Oculomotor Nerve Function (CN III)
Controls pupil constriction and eyelids
Accessory Nerve Function (CN XI)
Controls the neck and shoulder. Trapezius and Sternocleidomastoid. Turns head and shrugs shoulders.
Hypoglossal Nerve Function (CN XII)
Controls tongue. Swallowing, eating, speech. Ask to say rhyming words.
What Nerve is being tested? Hypoglossal Nerve *Controls the Tongue for speech and swallowing. *Ask patient to stick out their tongue. Tongue should be midline when patient sticks it out. *Ask patient to say "light, height, dynamite". Sounds should be understandable. *Watch swallowing to check for any problems with eating.
Cranial Nerve XII
Trigeminal Nerve Function (CN V)
Covers most of the face. Forhead, cheek, jaw.
Glossopharyngeal Nerve
Cranial IX
What Cranial Nerve is being tested? Olfactory Nerve *Located in the nose. *Controls the sense of smell. *Check air movement thru each nostril separately push gently on outside of nostril, occluding it. *Then ask patient to inhale/exhale thru other, assuring it's unobstructed. *Screen for problems w/sense of smell using soap, mint or coffee. *Ask patient to close both eyes & close one nostril and gently inhale to smell the scent, remember to do both nostrils.
Cranial Nerve I
What cranial nerve is being tested? Optic Nerve *Located in and behind the eyes. *Controls central and peripheral vision *Test for Visual Acuity one eye at a time. *Ask patient to read IV bag and how many fingers your holding up to check distance and close vision. *Test peripheral vision one eye at a time. Cover one eye and instruct patient to look at your nose. Move one finger at the side of the patients face and ask them to tell you when they note any movement in the peripheral fields.
Cranial Nerve II
Oculomotor Nerve
Cranial Nerve III
What cranial nerve is being tested? Oculomotor Nerve *Located in and behind the eyes. *Controls pupillary constriction *Dim the lights, bring a penlight from the outside periphery to the center of each eye, and note the response. *Use the mm to describe the size of the pupil. *Also check where the eyelids fall on the pupil, to see if it droops. (Ptosis) *Check this nerve with IV and VI.
Cranial Nerve III
Trochlear Nerve
Cranial Nerve IV
What nerve is being tested? Trochlear Nerve *Controls eye movement. *Acts as a pulley and moves the eyes down, toward the nose. *Ask the patient to follow your finger while you move it down toward their nose.
Cranial Nerve IV
What nerve is being tested? Trigeminal Nerve *Covers most of the face. *If a patient has a problem with this nerve,it usually involves the forehead, cheek, or jaw. *Check sensation in all 3 areas using a soft and a dull object. Check sensation of the scalp too. *Test the motor function of the temporal and masseter muscles by assessing jaw opening strength.
Cranial Nerve V
What nerve is being tested? Trigeminal Nerve *Palpate temporalis & mandibular areas as patient clenches & grinds teeth.*
Cranial Nerve V
Trigeminal Nerve
Cranial Nerve V 1. Ophthalmic nerve 2. Maxillary nerve 3. Mandibular nerve
Abducens Nerve
Cranial Nerve VI
What nerve is being tested? Abducens Nerve *Controls eye movements to the sides. *Ask patient to look toward each ear. *Have patient follow your finger through the six cardinal fields of gaze. *Make a big X in the air, then draw a horizontal line across it. *Observe the patient for nystagmus or twitching of the eye.
Cranial Nerve VI
Facial Nerve
Cranial Nerve VII
Vestibulochlear (Acoustics) Nerve
Cranial Nerve VIII
Vagus Nerve
Cranial Nerve X
Accessory Nerve
Cranial Nerve XI
Hypoglossal Nerve
Cranial Nerve XII
What Nerves are being tested? Glossopharyngeal Nerve & Vagus Nerve *Controls the Tongue and Throat (Pharynx and Larynx). *Observe the patients ability to swallow. *Ask patient to stick out tongue, say "Ahh" *Check to see if the uvula is midline, pharynx constricts like a curtain, and palate should rise. - use tongue depressor if can't see - palate/uvula rise *Assess sense of taste on the back of the tongue.
Cranial nerve IX, X
What Nerves are being tested? Glossopharyngeal Nerve & Vagus Nerve *Gag Reflex, provoked with tongue blade or q tip. (NOTE: omit testing for the gag reflex unless there is dysarthria or dysphagia present by history or examination, or if cranial nerve palsies are present at the medullary level.)
Cranial nerve IX, X
What Nerve is being tested? Facial Nerve *Controls facial movement and expression *Observe facial symmetry *Have patient Wrinkle Forehead, Close their Eyes, Smile, Puff out cheeks, Pucker their lips, and Show their Teeth.
Cranial nerve VII
What Nerve is being tested? Vestibulocochlear Nerve *Located in the ears. *Controls hearing and Balance. *Check hearing by rubbing fingers by each ear. *Whisper & ask pt repeat words. Whisper Test *Weber Test using a tuning fork on top of the head. *Rinne Test using a tuning fork on the bone behind the ear and in beside each ear.
Cranial nerve VIII
What Nerve is being tested? Accessory Nerve *Controls the Neck and Shoulders. *Assess the Trapezius Muscle. *Ask patient to shrug their shoulders against your hands to assess the Trapezius Muscle. *Assess the Sternocleidomastoid Muscle. *Ask patient to turn their head against your hand to the Left and then to the Right to assess the Sternocleidomastoid Muscle.
Cranial nerve XI
Trochlear Nerve Function (CN IV)
Moves the eyes down toward the nose
Olfactory Nerve Function (CN I)
Sense of Smell
