The facial nerve
Facial nerve (VII) · nervus facialis
The seventh cranial nerve, controlling every muscle of facial expression.
What it does
The facial nerve leaves the brainstem, winds through a narrow bony canal in the temporal bone and fans out across the face. It moves all the muscles of expression, carries taste from the front of the tongue, and drives tears and saliva. A tiny branch damps the loudest sounds in the middle ear.
Surprising fact
Inside the skull it runs through the longest bony canal of any nerve, so swelling there can squeeze it and cause Bell's palsy.
Why it matters
Bell's palsy suddenly paralyses one side of the face. Most people recover over weeks to months, and early treatment helps.
Nearby
Read more
Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.