Facial nerve

The facial nerve is seventh of twelve paired cranial nerves. It emerges from the brainstem between the pons and the medulla[?].

Its main function is motor control of most of the facial muscles[?] and muscles of the inner ear. It also supplies parasympathetic fibres to the submandibular gland[?] and sublingual glands[?] via chorda tympani nerve[?] and the submandibular ganglion[?], and to the lacrimal gland[?] via the pterygopalatine ganglion[?]. In addition, it receives taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.

The facial nerve enters the inner ear through the internal acoustic meatus[?], emerges from the stylomastoid foramen[?] and passes through the parotid gland[?], where it divides into five major branches.

The five main branches of the facial nerve are, from top to bottom:

• temporal branch of the facial nerve[?]
• zygomatic branch of the facial nerve[?]
• buccal branch of the facial nerve[?]
• mandibular branch of the facial nerve[?]
• cervical branch of the facial nerve[?]

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Bell's palsy is the result of damage to the facial nerve.