Medically reviewed by Nicholas R. Metrus, MD Facial nerve paralysis describes weakness in the muscles on one or both sides of your face that causes an inability to smile, blink, or control other ...

including the cerebellum and brain stem. These also fulfill critical functions. Running through parts of the brain are a dozen pairs of cranial nerves, which link the brain directly to muscles and ...

Three nerves carry taste signals to the brain stem: the chorda tympani nerve (from the front of the tongue), the glossopharyngeal nerve (from the back of the tongue) and the vagus nerve (from the ...