Neurophysiological Diagnosis of Trigeminal Nerve Function

Abstract

The fifth cranial nerve arises from the pons with a portio major containing sensory fibers and a portio minor with motor efferents and proprioceptive afferents supplying the chewing muscles. Motor as well as sensory function may be evaluated by appropriate clinical neurophysiological tests. Valuable information can thus be added to clinical examination since investigation of the trigeminal nerve often fails to give accurate results. Particularly interesting are these tests in the large number of patients with facial pain when clear discrimination between the idiopathic and the symptomatic type is desirable. In this study methods testing the motor and sensory function of the trigeminal nerve will be described as they are in use in our clinical lab. In addition some new approaches to improve the neurophysiological diagnosis of the trigeminal system will be mentioned.