A person is having problems chewing. Which cranial nerve is most likely affected in this person?
A. Accessory
B. Trochlear
C. Trigeminal
D. Abducens
To determine which cranial nerve is most likely affected in a person who is having problems chewing, we can break down the functions of the given cranial nerves and match them with the symptoms.
A. Accessory nerve (CN XI) primarily controls the movement of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles, which are responsible for head and neck movements. It is not directly involved in chewing.
B. Trochlear nerve (CN IV) innervates the superior oblique muscle of the eye, which allows downward and inward eye movement. It is not directly involved in chewing either.
D. Abducens nerve (CN VI) controls the lateral rectus muscle of the eye, which controls outward eye movement. It is not directly related to chewing.
C. Trigeminal nerve (CN V) is responsible for sensory innervation of the face and motor control of the muscles involved in chewing (mastication). It has three branches: ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular. The mandibular branch specifically innervates the muscles of mastication, including the masseter, temporalis, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles. Therefore, the trigeminal nerve is the cranial nerve most likely affected in a person experiencing problems with chewing.
In summary, the correct answer is C. Trigeminal.