Question

How do you carry out a sensory assessment of the facial nerve?

Option 1: Test taste sensation on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.

Option 2: Check for sharp and dull sensation on the face.

Option 3: Assess hearing ability.

Option 4: Evaluate eye movements.

Answer 1

To perform a sensory assessment of the facial nerve, test the taste sensation on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. This directly assesses the function of the facial nerve, whereas other options involve different cranial nerves.

Step-by-step explanation:

To carry out a sensory assessment of the facial nerve, you should choose Option 1: Test taste sensation on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. The facial and glossopharyngeal nerves relay taste sensation to the brain stem, with the facial nerve being responsible for the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. This is part of a subgroup of the cranial nerves that serve the special senses, including taste. Testing this sensory function can indicate whether the facial nerve is intact.

Option 2, checking for sharp and dull sensation on the face, involves the trigeminal nerve, which carries general somatic senses. Assessing hearing ability (Option 3) would involve the vestibulocochlear nerve, and evaluating eye movements (Option 4) would test the nerves that control eye movement, such as the oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves.