Fifth Cranial Nerve (Noun)
Meaning
The main sensory nerve of the face and motor nerve for the muscles of mastication.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The fifth cranial nerve, also known as the trigeminal nerve, is responsible for transmitting sensory information from the face to the brain.
- Damage to the fifth cranial nerve can result in numbness or loss of sensation in the face, as well as difficulty chewing.
- The fifth cranial nerve has three main branches: the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular divisions.
- The motor component of the fifth cranial nerve controls the muscles of mastication, or chewing, including the masseter and temporalis muscles.
- Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition characterized by intense, stabbing pain in the distribution of the fifth cranial nerve, which can be debilitating for some people.