GROSS ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -The hypoglossal nerve helps you move your tongue. It enables you to speak, swallow and push substances around in your mouth. Conditions affecting hypoglossal nerve function include stroke, cancer and ALS. You can protect cranial nerve 12 from some of these conditions by living a healthy lifestyle.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Hypoglossal Nerve is the 12th Cranial Nerve (Cranial Nerve XII). It is mainly an efferent nerve for the tongue musculature. The nerve originates from the medulla and travels caudally and dorsally to the tongue.

Detailed explanation-3: -The hypoglossal nerve provides motor control of the extrinsic muscles of the tongue: genioglossus, hyoglossus, styloglossus, and the intrinsic muscles of the tongue. These represent all muscles of the tongue except the palatoglossus muscle. The hypoglossal nerve is of a general somatic efferent (GSE) type.

Detailed explanation-4: -The hypoglossal nerve can be examined by asking a patient to protrude their tongue, move their tongue laterally, and place their tongue against their cheek to resist the opposing force of the examiner’s hand resting on the external cheek.

Detailed explanation-5: -Hypoglossal nerve damage on one side produces flaccid paralysis of the ipsilateral tongue musculature, accompanied by atrophy. An attempt to protrude the tongue results in deviation of the tongue toward the weak side because of the unopposed actions of the intact genioglossus muscle.