Eyes and Ears
This eye condition, commonly seen in aging individuals, results from the inability of the eye to focus on near objects due to a decrease in lens elasticity.
What is presbyopia?
The semicircular canals are responsible for detecting angular acceleration, while this fluid is responsible for transmitting these movements.
What is endolymph?
This structure, located in the posterior part of the nasopharynx, plays a crucial role in trapping and destroying pathogens. When swollen, it can obstruct nasal airflow, leading to mouth breathing.
What is the pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid)?
A 45-year-old patient presents with hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and a drooping uvula that deviates to the right. The lesion is thought to involve the nerve responsible for motor control of the pharyngeal muscles. Which cranial nerve is likely injured?
What is the vagus nerve (CN X)?
A 65-year-old male presents with difficulty chewing on the left side and has noticed a gradual decrease in sensation over his left cheek and jaw. On examination, there is weakness in the left masseter and temporalis muscles, along with diminished sensation over the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve. What is the most likely diagnosis?
What is trigeminal nerve (CN V) injury, possibly due to trigeminal neuralgia or tumor compression?
The muscle responsible for elevating the upper eyelid and innervated by CN III
What is the levator palpebrae superioris?
This structure is located within the cochlea and houses the organ of Corti, where sound vibrations are transduced into nerve impulses.
What is the cochlear duct (scala media)?
A patient presents with difficulty swallowing and frequent infections. Upon examination, enlarged palatine tonsils are noted. These tonsils are located between the palatoglossal arches. What region of the pharynx do they belong to?
What is the oropharynx?
A patient is unable to turn their head to the left side against resistance and has weakness when shrugging their shoulders. Which cranial nerve is likely involved in this case?
What is the spinal accessory nerve (CN XI)?
A 42-year-old woman with a history of multiple sclerosis presents with an inability to smile on the left side of her face. When asked to raise her eyebrows or puff out her cheeks, there is no movement on the left side of her face. The right side is normal. What cranial nerve is most likely involved, and what is the most likely pathology?
What is facial nerve (CN VII) palsy, likely due to Bell's palsy or demyelination in multiple sclerosis?
The function of this window in the middle ear is to transmit vibrations from the stapes to the perilymph of the inner ear.
What is the oval (vestibular) window?
This is the area of the nasal septum where anastomoses of several arteries, including the sphenopalatine, anterior ethmoidal, greater palatine, and facial arteries, occur.
What is Kiesselbach’s area?
A patient with a lesion in the oculomotor nerve (CN III) exhibits ptosis, mydriasis, and an eye that is positioned downward and outward. Which muscle is unopposed due to the injury, causing this abnormal eye position?
What is the lateral rectus muscle?
A patient presents with diplopia when looking laterally and a lack of abduction in one eye. The lesion is suspected to involve a nerve that innervates a specific extraocular muscle. Which nerve is involved?
What is the abducens nerve (CN VI)?
A 75-year-old male presents with a complaint of difficulty swallowing and aspiration. His uvula deviates to the right side when he says "ah," and the left side of his tongue has atrophy. On examination, there is diminished gag reflex on the left side. What cranial nerve is most likely involved?
What is vagus nerve (CN X) and hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) injury, likely due to brainstem pathology?
A 34-year-old patient presents with a drooping upper eyelid, a constricted pupil, and the inability to sweat on one side of their face. What condition could explain these symptoms?
What is Horner’s syndrome? (A lesion in the sympathetic pathway leading to ptosis, miosis, and anhidrosis.)
A patient undergoes surgery for a pituitary tumor. The surgeon accesses the pituitary gland through the nasal cavity. What is the name of this procedure?
What is a transsphenoidal hypophysectomy?
A patient undergoes surgery for a severe pharyngeal infection. Postoperatively, the patient has difficulty equalizing pressure in the middle ear. Which muscle is responsible for opening the pharyngotympanic tube, and which nerve provides its innervation?
What is the salpingopharyngeus muscle, and the vagus nerve (CN X)?
A patient presents with facial paralysis on the left side, loss of taste on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, and dry mouth. This injury is likely due to trauma to the temporal bone. Which cranial nerve is responsible?
What is the facial nerve (CN VII)?
A 29-year-old male presents with vertical diplopia, especially when he looks down and to the right. He also has difficulty reading or going down stairs. On examination, the left eye is slightly elevated and the patient is unable to move it downward. What cranial nerve is most likely involved?
What is the trochlear nerve (CN IV), likely due to trauma or congenital weakness?
A 6-year-old child presents with fever, ear pain, and a red, bulging tympanic membrane. The child also has a history of a recent upper respiratory infection. What is the most likely diagnosis?
What is otitis media? (Middle ear infection often caused by viral or bacterial pathogens, commonly seen after a cold.)
A 45-year-old male with a history of sinus infections reports severe pain near his upper jaw. Upon examination, his maxillary sinus is inflamed, and the doctor suspects the infection has spread from his molars. Which nerve may be involved in both his tooth and sinus pain?
What is the infraorbital nerve (CN V-2)?
A patient presents with difficulty swallowing due to a weak pharyngeal contraction. Upon examination, it is discovered that the stylopharyngeus muscle, which elevates the pharynx during swallowing, is impaired. Which cranial nerve innervates this muscle?
What is the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)?
This nerve provides sensory innervation to the skin of the forehead, nose, and anterior scalp, as well as to the cornea. Injury to this nerve can abolish the corneal reflex.
What is the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V-1)?
A 30-year-old man presents with hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and loss of taste in the posterior third of his tongue after a motor vehicle accident. He also reports a decreased gag reflex on the left side. What cranial nerve injury should be suspected?
What is the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX), likely due to trauma or nerve compression?