Cranial nerve disease is a term used to describe an impaired functioning of one of the twelve cranial nerves

Cranial nerves

Cranial nerves are nerves that emerge directly from the brain, in contrast to spinal nerves, which emerge from segments of the spinal cord. In humans, there are traditionally twelve pairs of cranial nerves...

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Although it could theoretically be considered a mononeuropathy, it is not considered as such under MeSH

Mesh

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It is possible for a disorder of more than cranial nerve to occur at the same time, if a trauma occurs at a location where many cranial nerves run together, such as the jugular fossa

Jugular fossa

The jugular fossa is a deep depression in the inferior part of the base of the skull. More specifically, it is located in the temporal bone, posterior to the carotid canal and the aquæductus cochleæ...

. A brainstem lesion could also cause impaired functioning of multiple cranial nerves, but this condition would likely also be accompanied by distal motor impairment.

A neurological examination

Neurological examination

A neurological examination is the assessment of sensory neuron and motor responses, especially reflexes, to determine whether the nervous system is impaired...

 can test the functioning of individual cranial nerves, and detect specific impairments.

Examples

• Eyes
  • Oculomotor nerve palsy
    Oculomotor nerve palsy
    Oculomotor nerve palsy is an eye condition resulting from damage to the third cranial nerve or a branch thereof. As the name suggests, the oculomotor nerve supplies the majority of the muscles controlling eye movements. Thus, damage to this nerve will result in the affected individual being unable...
    
     - Oculomotor nerve
    Oculomotor nerve
    The oculomotor nerve is the 3rd of 12 paired cranial nerves. It enters the orbit via the superior orbital fissure and controls most of the eye's movements, including constriction of the pupil and maintaining an open eyelid by innervating the Levator palpebrae superiors muscle. The optic nerve is...
    
     (III)
  • Fourth nerve palsy
    Fourth nerve palsy
    Fourth nerve palsy is a condition caused by weakness or paralysis of the superior oblique muscle. This condition often causes double vision as the weakened muscle prevents the eyes from moving in the same direction....
    
     - Trochlear nerve
    Trochlear nerve
    The trochlear nerve is a motor nerve that innervates a single muscle: the superior oblique muscle of the eye....
    
     (IV)
  • Sixth nerve palsy
    Sixth nerve palsy
    Sixth nerve palsy, or abducens nerve palsy, is a disorder associated with dysfunction of cranial nerve VI , which is responsible for contracting the lateral rectus muscle to abduct the eye...
    
     - Abducens nerve (VI)
• Other
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
    Trigeminal neuralgia
    Trigeminal neuralgia , tic douloureux is a neuropathic disorder characterized by episodes of intense pain in the face, originating from the trigeminal nerve. It has been described as among the most painful conditions known...
    
     - Trigeminal nerve
    Trigeminal nerve
    The trigeminal nerve contains both sensory and motor fibres. It is responsible for sensation in the face and certain motor functions such as biting, chewing, and swallowing. Sensory information from the face and body is processed by parallel pathways in the central nervous system...
    
     (V)
  • Facial nerve paralysis, Bell's palsy
    Bell's palsy
    Bell's palsy is a form of facial paralysis resulting from a dysfunction of the cranial nerve VII that results in the inability to control facial muscles on the affected side. Several conditions can cause facial paralysis, e.g., brain tumor, stroke, and Lyme disease. However, if no specific cause...
    
    , Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome
    Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome
    Melkersson–Rosenthal syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by recurring facial paralysis, swelling of the face and lips , and the development of folds and furrows in the tongue. Onset is in childhood or early adolescence...
    
    , Central seven - Facial nerve
    Facial nerve
    The facial nerve is the seventh of twelve paired cranial nerves. It emerges from the brainstem between the pons and the medulla, and controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and oral cavity...
    
     (VII)
  • Accessory nerve disorder
    Accessory nerve disorder
    Injury to the spinal accessory nerve can cause an accessory nerve disorder or spinal accessory nerve palsy, which results in diminished or absent function of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and upper portion of the trapezius muscle.-Presentation:...
    
     - Accessory nerve
    Accessory nerve
    In anatomy, the accessory nerve is a nerve that controls specific muscles of the shoulder and neck. As part of it was formerly believed to originate in the brain, it is considered a cranial nerve...
    
    (XI)