7 - The Cranial Nerves

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the parts of the nervous system involved in the act of speaking. The cranial nerves make up a part of the peripheral nervous system that provides crucial sensory and motor information to the oral musculature. The cranial nerves are vital for speech production, and the speech-language pathologist must be knowledgeable about their functions. There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 6 of them are directly related to speech production—cranial nerves V (trigeminal), VII (facial), VIII (acoustic-vestibular), IX (glossopharyngeal), X (vagus), and XII (hypoglossal). This chapter refers to the embryologic origin of the cranial nerves, explaining those which are somatic or branchial in origin and those which are solely special sensory nerves. The chapter also discusses the anatomy, innervation, function, and testing of each of the nerves associated with speech. It describes the cooperation of several cranial nerves in the act of swallowing.