Milady Esthetics State Board Practice Test

Which cranial nerve is known as the chief motor nerve of the face?

1. Fifth cranial nerve

2. Seventh cranial nerve

3. Ninth cranial nerve

4. Tenth cranial nerve

The correct answer is: Seventh cranial nerve

The seventh cranial nerve, also known as the facial nerve, is recognized as the chief motor nerve of the face. This nerve is primarily responsible for controlling the muscles of facial expression, enabling a wide range of movements such as smiling, frowning, and other facial gestures that are integral to non-verbal communication. Additionally, the facial nerve also serves functions in the sensory perception of taste for the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and carries parasympathetic fibers to various glands. In contrast, the fifth cranial nerve, or trigeminal nerve, is primarily responsible for sensation in the face and has a significant role in mastication, but it is not the main motor nerve. The ninth cranial nerve, or glossopharyngeal nerve, is involved in functions related to taste and swallowing, while the tenth cranial nerve, or vagus nerve, has a broader role affecting autonomic functions throughout the body, including the heart and digestive tract. Thus, the primary role of the seventh cranial nerve in facial motor control makes it the correct answer in this context.