Question

Your patient is able to wrinkle his/her forehead and say "pa", this indicates that cranial nerve ___________ is intact.

a. VI
b. V
c. XII
d. VII

Answer 1

Cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) is responsible for facial muscle control involved in wrinkling the forehead and articulating speech sounds such as 'pa'. If these functions are intact, it suggests that the facial nerve is functioning properly.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient is able to wrinkle his/her forehead and pronounce "pa" correctly, this indicates that cranial nerve VII, or the facial nerve, is intact. The facial nerve is responsible for motor control of most of the facial muscles, which includes wrinkling the forehead and contributing to speech articulation through controlling muscles around the lips. The ability to wrinkle the forehead mainly tests the upper branches of the facial nerve, while saying "pa" tests the lower branches that control the lips.