Final answer:
The correct comparison between peripheral and central facial nerve damage is that peripheral damage causes an inability to close the eye, while central damage results in the loss of forehead wrinkles on the affected side.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing peripheral versus central facial nerve damage, different symptoms are evident. Peripheral damage affects all branches of the facial nerve because the lesion is distal to the nerve's exit from the pons, leading to complete facial paralysis on the affected side, inability to close the eye, loss of forehead wrinkles, and potential hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to sound) if the nerve to the stapedius muscle is involved. Central facial nerve damage, however, is due to a lesion that affects the upper motor neurons (UMNs) that supply the facial nucleus in the pons; hence, it typically spares forehead movement due to bilateral UMN input. Therefore, the correct answer is a) Peripheral: Inability to close the eye; Central: Loss of forehead wrinkles on the affected side.