Leicester Medical School

Cranial Nerves Examination Checklist Preparation √ Comments Introduction Consent and explanation Wash hands Position patient appropriately General Inspection √ Comments Muscle wasting Facial asymmetry Loss of expression Comfort/pain Cranial Nerve 1 - Olfactory √ Comments Ask about sense of smell Cranial Nerve 2 -Optic nerve √ Comments Visual acuity Visual fields Fundoscopy Pupillary response – direct light reflex - consensual

Pupillary response - Accommodation Cranial Nerves 3, 5 & 6 – Oculomotor, Trochlear & Abducens

√ Comments

Inspect resting gaze Look for ptosis Test eye movements Ask about double vision Look for nystagmus Cranial Nerve 5 - Trigeminal Nerve √ Comments Light touch - ophthalmic Light touch - maxillary Light touch - mandibular Corneal reflex (if relevant) Motor – palpate temporalis Motor – palpate masseter Move jaw from side to side (pterygoid)

Cranial Nerves 9 & 10 Glossopharyngeal & Vagus

√ Comments

Cough Soft palate movement Gag reflex (if necessary)

Cranial Nerve 11 Accessory √ Comments

Shrug shoulders Turn head to each side

Cranial Nerve 12 Hypoglossal √ Comments Wasting/fasciculations Protrude tongue Tongue movement

Cranial Nerve 7 - Facial Nerve √ Comments Raise eyebrows (Frontalis muscle) Screw up eyes (Orbicularis oculi) Smile and show teeth (Orbicularis Oris) Blow out cheeks (Buccinators)

Cranial Nerve 8 – Vestibulocochlear √ Comments Simple test of hearing (whisper) Rinne’s test Weber’s test