FACIAL NERVE ANATOMY

- Nithin nair
 Introduction
• Seventh cranial nerve.
• Nerve of the second branchial arch.
• Mixed cranial nerve with sensory and motor
components.
• Sensory root (nervus intermedius)
• Motor root (nerve of wrisberg)
 Functional components
Funcional Nucleus and its location Functions

components
Special visceral Motor nucleus at lower part of •Muscle of facial expression
efferent pons •Elevation of hyoid bone

General visceral •Superior salivatory nucleus at •Secretomotor to

efferent lower part of pons. a) Submandibular
•Lacrimatory nucleus overlapped b) Sublingual salivary glands.
by sup. salivatory nucleus c)Lacrimal gland
d)Glands of nose, palate, pharynx

Special visceral Nucleus of tractus solitarius at •Taste sensation from anterior

afferent junction of pons and medulla. 2/3rd of tongue except from vallate
papillae and palate.

General somatic Sensory nucleus at rostral end of •General sensation from skin of
afferent nucleus solitarius concha of external ear
•Proprioceptive sensation from
muscle s supplied by nerve.
 Course and relations
• The facial nerve is attached to the brainstem by
two roots-motor & sensory.
• The two roots of the facial nerve are attached to the
lateral part of the lower border of the pons just
medial to eighth cranial nerve.
• The two roots run laterally & forwards,with eighth
nerve to reach internal accoustic meatus
 Course and
relations…
• In the meatus,the motor root lies in a
groove on the eighth nerve.
• Here seventh & eighth nerves are
accompanied by the labyrinthine vessels.
• At the bottom or fundus of the meatus, the
two roots sensory & motor fuse to form a
single trunk,which lies in the petrous
temporal bone.
• Within the canal, the course can be divided
into three parts by two bends.
 Course and
relations…
• The first part is directed laterally above the
vestibule.
• The second part runs backward in relation to
the medial wall of the middle ear,above the
promontory.
• The third part is directed vertically downwards
behind the promontory
• The first bend at the junction of the first &
second part is sharp.
• It lies over the anterosuperior part of the
promontor,& is also called the genu.
 Course and
relations…
• The second bend is gradual & lies between
promontory & aditus to the mastoid antrum.
• The facial nerve leaves the skull through the
stylomastoid foramen.
• In the extra cranial course,the facial nerve
crosses the lateral side of the base of the
parotid gland crossing the retromandibular
vein & external carotid artery.
• Behind the neck of mandible it divides into its
five terminal branches which emerge along the
anterior border of the parotid gland.
 Branches and distribution
1. WITHIN THE FACIAL CANAL :
• Greater petrosal neve
• The nerve to the stapedius &
• The chorda tympani

2. AT ITS EXIT FROM STYLOMASTOID FORAMEN

• Posterior auricular
• Diagastric
• Stylohyoid
 Branches and
distribution…
3. TERMINAL BRANCHES
• Temporal
• Zygomatic
• Buccal
• Marginal mandibular
• Cervical
4. Communicating branches with adjacent cranial
& spinal nerves.
 MUSCLES SUPPLIED
• The nerve to the stapedius arises opposite
pyramid of middle ear and supplies stapedius
muscle
STAPEDIUS MUSCLE
• The stapedius lies in a bony canal that is related to
the posterior wall of the middle ear.
• It carries:Preganglionic secretomotor fibres to the
submandibular salivary ganglion for supply of
submandibular & sublingual salivary glands &
taste fibres from the anterior two-thirds of the
tongue.
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…
• Posterior auricular nerve supplies :
1. Auricularis posterior.
2. Occipitalis
3. Intrinsic muscle on the back of the auricle.
Muscle Origin Insertion Action

Auricularis Galeal Front of helix,cranial Underdeveloped

posterior aponeurosis surface of middle ear in human
(wiggle of ears)

Occipitalis Two occipital galeal aponeurosis Raises eyebrow,

bellies & two wrinkles forehead.
frontal bellies
Auricularis posterior

Occipitalis
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…

• Diagasric branch supplies posterior belly of

digastric.
Muscle Origin insertion Nerve Action
supply
Posterior Mastoid Thyroid Facial nerve • Depresses
mandible when
belly of notch of bone. mouth is widely
digasric temporal opened or
against
bone resistance
• Elevates hyoid
bone.

digasric
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…
• Stylohyoid branch supplies stylohyoid muscle.
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
Supply
stylohyoid Posterior Junction of Facial nerve •Pulls hyoid
muscle. surface of body & bone upwards
styloid greater & backwards
•It fixes the
process cornua of
hyoid bone.
hyoid bone

stylohyoid muscle.
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…

• Temporal branches suupply:

1. Auricularis anterior
2. Auricularis superior
3. Intrinsic muscle on the lateral side of ear.
4. Frontalis
5. Orbicularis oculi
6. Corrugator supercilii
 MUSCLE SUPPLIED…
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
supply

Auricularis Galeal Front of Facial nerve Undeveloped in

anterior and aponeurosis helix,cranial humans
auricularis surface of
superior middle ear
Frontalis Galeal skin of Facial nerve Raises eyebrows
aponeurosis eyebrows and and wrinkles
nose forehead
Orbicularis •Medial and Upper and Facial nerve Closes lids
oculi lateral part of lower eyelids tightly,wrinkling,pro
medial tects eye from
palpebral bright light,blinking.
ligament.
•Lacrimal fascia
and bone

Corrugator Medial end of Skin of mid eye Facial nerve Frowning

supercilii superciliary brow
arch.
Frontalis

Corrugator supercilii

Orbicularis oculi

auricularis
Auricularis anterior
superior
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…
• Zygomatic branches supply orbicularis oculi.
• The buccal branches are two in number.The upper buccal branch runs above
the parotid gland & the lower buccal branch below the duct.
• Upper buccal branch supplies:
1) Zygomatic major and minor
2) Levator labii superioris
3) Levator anguli oris
4) Nasalis
• Lower buccal branch supplies:
1) Buccinator
2) Orbicularis oris
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…
• The marginal mandibular branch runs below the
angle of mouth deep to platysma and supplies
risorius muscle.
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve Action
supply
Risorius Fascia over Skin over Facial nerve Draws angle
masseter angle of of mouth
mouth laterally
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…
• The cervical branch emerge from apex of the
parotid gland & supply to the platysma.
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve supply Action

Platysma Pectoralis and Lower border Facial nerve Depresses

deltoid fascia. of mandible mandible and
draws angle of
the mouth
downward.
MUSCLE SUPPLIED…
• Communicating branches: for coordination
between the movements of the muscles of the first,
second and third branchial arches. The motor
nerves of the three arches communicate with each
other.
 Reference……
• Human Anatomy( B D Chaurasia) Vol:3
• Google
• Anatomy ( Shoukat N. Kazi)
• www.scribd.com