The tongue of a patient deviates to one side whenever he sticks his tongue out. The cranial nerve that may be damaged is:

 # The tongue of a patient deviates to one side whenever he sticks his tongue out. The cranial nerve that may be damaged is:

A. Trigeminal nerve

B. Vagus nerve

C. Facial nerve

D. Hypoglossal nerve

The correct answer is D. Hypoglossal nerve.

HYPOGLOSSAL NERVE

Hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve. It supplies the muscles of the tongue. The hypoglossal nerve is tested clinically by asking the patient to protrude his/her tongue. Normally, the tongue is protruded straight forwards. If the nerve is paralysed, the tongue deviates to the paralysed side.