Question

After reviewing the medical records of a patient, the nurse finds that the patient has hearing impairment caused by damage to the cranial nerve. Which cranial nerve is damaged?

Cranial nerve II

Cranial nerve VII

Cranial nerve VIII

Cranial nerve X

Answer 1

The cranial nerve likely damaged in the case of hearing impairment caused by damage to the cochlea is Cranial nerve VIII, also known as the Vestibulocochlear nerve.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cranial nerve that is likely damaged in the case of hearing impairment caused by damage to the cochlea is Cranial nerve VIII, which is also known as the Vestibulocochlear nerve. When damage occurs to this nerve, it can result in a type of hearing loss known as sensorineural hearing loss. This condition implicates a failure in transmitting neural signals from the cochlea to the brain, which cannot be corrected by ordinary hearing aids. However, for individuals with nonfunctional cochleae, cochlear implants may provide a solution by directly stimulating the auditory nerve to enable sound perception.

This nerve is responsible for transmitting auditory signals from the cochlea to the brain, allowing us to perceive sound. Damage to this nerve can result in various degrees of hearing loss or even complete deafness. In scenarios where the damage is to the bones of the middle ear or the cochlea itself, the function of the Vestibulocochlear nerve is compromised, leading to hearing impairment.