CRANIAL NERVES

NERVE FUNCTION TEST

I. OLFATORY Smell. Look if there´s no

Sensory. obstruction in the nosetril.
Identify odors with eyes
closed.

II. OPTIC Vision. Test peripheral vision with

Sensory. one eye covered.

Snellen test (6 ft).

Visual field (wiggle method,
finger counting)
Pupillary reflexes (light).

III. OCULOMOTOR Eye movement & pupillary Extraocular eye movement.

reaction. (motor) and VI ABDUCENS.
Motor.
Peripheral visión, eye chart
IV. TROCHLEAR Eye movement. & reaction to light.
Motor. Test ability to depress &
adduct eye.
Follow the finger “H”

V. TRIGEMINAL Face sensation & Face sensation & clench

mastication. teeth.
Mixed.
Light touch with cotton &
pin-prick sensation with
one eye closed on the 3
zones, ophthalmic, maxilla
and mandibular.

VI. ABDUCENS Eye movement. Extraocular eye movement.

Motor.
Test ability to abduct eye
past midline.

VII. FACIAL Facial muscles & taste. Close eyes, smile with and
Mixed. without teeth, lift
eyebrows, puff out the
cheeks.

Taste 2/3 of the tongue.

Place food. Sweet, sour,
salt, bitter flavor.
VIII. VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR Hearing and balance. Cochlear portion (hearing).
Sensory. Auditory acuity. Do a sound
with the finger and move it
far away.
Weber Test: tuning fork
place it on the forehead,
lateralization.
Renee Test: fork on the
mastoid process. The
patient should tell when he
stops hearing the sound.
Bone conduction.

Vestibular (balance).
Past pointing test, 5x eyes
open/closed.

IX. GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL Swallow, voice, gag réflex. Swallow and say “AAAHH”.
X. VAGUS Mixed. Use tongue depresor to
elicit gag reflex.

XI. SPINAL ACCESSORY SCM & trapezius. Rotate the neck.

Motor. Strenght against resistance.
Shrug shoulders against
resistance.

XII. HYPOGLOSSAL Tongue movement. Protrude tongue.

Motor. Move it left and right.
Push the cheek.