Cranial Nerve V (Sensory and Motor)

How to Perform

Test facial sensation to light touch (and to pinprick or temperature) over the three divisions — forehead, cheek, and jaw — on each side, comparing sides. Test the muscles of mastication by asking the patient to clench the teeth while you palpate the masseter and temporalis, and to open the jaw against resistance. The corneal reflex is tested by lightly touching the cornea with a wisp of cotton and watching for a blink.

How to Interpret