What is the main function of CN XII?

The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth paired cranial nerve. Its name is derived from ancient Greek, ‘hypo’ meaning under, and ‘glossal’ meaning tongue. The nerve has a purely somatic motor function, innervating all the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue (except the palatoglossus, innervated by vagus nerve).

What does hyoglossus muscle do?

Function. The hyoglossus depresses and retracts the tongue and makes the dorsum more convex.

What is the function of hypoglossal CN XII?

The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve, and innervates all the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue, except for the palatoglossus which is innervated by the vagus nerve. It is a nerve with a solely motor function.

How does the hypoglossal work?

The hypoglossal nerve is a motor nerve, and it controls the muscles of the tongue that allow for speech and swallowing. The tongue’s extrinsic muscles help it move in different directions, while the intrinsic muscles help it make movements such as curling.

What cranial nerve is damaged?

One of the most common cranial neuropathies is damage to the seventh cranial nerve, called the facial nerve. This can cause facial pain focused near one of the eyes and paralysis of the eye muscles. Other problems can also occur including facial tics, twitches, spasms.

Is hypoglossal nerve sensory motor or both?

So the hypoglossal nerve, its CN XII, aka TWELVE. This is the only cranial nerve that does not provide any sensory function, solely motor function. The hypoglossal nerve provides motor innervation to all intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles except the palatoglossus (which you totally remember is CN X ).

Is hypoglossal nerve an efferent nerve?

The hypoglossal nerve is mainly a somatic efferent (motor) nerve to innervate the tongue musculature. The hypoglossal nerve consists of four branches: the meningeal, descending, hypothyroid, and muscular. However, only the muscular branch is considered part of the real hypoglossal nerve originating from the hypoglossal nucleus.

What is the hypoglossal nerve?

Hypoglossal nerve. The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve and controls movements of the tongue. The path of the nerve starts in the hypoglossal nucleus of the brainstem, which is located near the midline of the medulla oblongata , and then travels between the carotid artery and jugular vein to end up on the underside…