The facial nerve is the 7th cranial nerve and carries nerve fibers that control facial movement and expression. The facial nerve also carries nerves that are involved in taste to the anterior 2/3 of the tongue and producing tears (lacrimal gland).Intracranial branchesGreater petrosal nerve, communicating branch with otic ganglion, nerve to stapedius, chorda tympaniExtracranial branchesPosterior auricular nerve, branch to posterior digastric belly, branch to stylohyoid muscle, temporal branch, zygomatic branch, buccal branch, marginal mandibular branch, cervical branch.Field of innervationMotor: facial expression muscles, posterior belly of digastric muscle, stylohyoid muscle, stapedius muscle Special sensory: taste from anterior two-thirds of the tongue Parasympathetic: submandibular gland, sublingual gland, lacrimal glandsClinical relationsPalsy, inferior medial pontine syndome.