Cranial Nerve Testing

Question 1

I

Answer 1

Olfactory:

close one nostril and smell a familar smell 10cm away

Question 2

II

Answer 2

optic: shine a light obliquely and see if the contralateral eye constricts

Question 3

III

Answer 3

oculomotor: see if patient can follow finger or pen in an H pattern with eyes without moving head

Question 4

IV

Answer 4

trochlear: bring finger in towards patient’s nose, both eyes should converge (down and in)

Question 5

V

Answer 5

trigeminal: soft touch on forehead, cheek, and mandible

palpate mandible or temporalis, provide closing resistance to jaw

Question 6

VII

Answer 6

facial: asking the patient to smile, frown, elevate or depress the eyebrows, and puff out the cheeks

or

tasting something sweet on anterior tounge

Question 6

VI

Answer 6

abducens: during H test, see if both eyes can go all the way to the side to where you do not see white in the outside of each eye

Question 7

VIII

Answer 7

vestibulocochlear: hearing rubbing fingers in each ear with eyes closed

or

stand unsupported for 30 seconds

Question 8

IX and X

Answer 8

glossopharyngeal and vagus:

seeing if uvula laterally deviates during and “ahhh” sound and no loss of phonation

observe swallow, see if there are any difficulties

Question 9

XI

Answer 9

accessory: ask patient to shrug shoulders, push down, patient resists

Question 10

XII

Answer 10

hypoglossal:
patient sticks out tounge, look for smooth side to side movements and atrophy