Introductory Review Examination of the Cranial Nerves

The cranial nerves facilitate a diverse array of functions, including facial expression, vision, swallowing and hearing. This review aims to provide a pragmatic and comprehensive introduction to the examination of the cranial nerves, with particular emphasis on the examination routine. For a more detailed discussion of the detection and interpretation of the signs of neurological illness in the crnial nerves readers are directed to The JCE’s Expert Review entitled ‘Examination of the Cranial Nerves’[1]. This article draws upon many sources of information, including standard textbooks on neurology, neuroanatomy and clinical examination,[2-16] as well as published articles.[1,17-21] It is consistent throughout with both ‘The Principles of Clinical Examination’,[17] and the authors’ clinical experience. Word Count: 4,342