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hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
Efferents:
- somatic motor function.
- innervates the tongue
- stimulates pharyngeal dilator muscle
- role in airway patency
Course:
- cell bodies in hypoglossal nucleus:
a) located midline in the posterior aspect of the medulla
b) fibers exit anterior to inferior olive
- all other cranial nerves in the medulla exit posterior to the inferior olive (CN7, CN8, CN9 & CN10)
- exits from the cranium through the hypoglossal foramen
Pathology:
- see cranial nerve XII palsy
Related
cranial nerve XII palsy
hyoglossal canal or foramen
hypoglossal nucleus
General
cranial nerve
References
- Clinical Anatomy Made Ridiculously Simple. Stephen
Goldberg, MedMaster Inc, Miami, 1995
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American
College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998
Images
images related to hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)