title: Cranial nerve XII: the hypoglossal nerve.
abstract: The hypoglossal nerve, cranial nerve XII, is the motor supply of the tongue. An understanding of the intracranial and extracranial components is fundamental in the evaluation of hypoglossal pathology. The following discussion of the evaluation of the hypoglossal nerve will involve the embryology, anatomy, clinical basis, and imaging techniques with pathologic correlations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, West Florida Hospital, Pensacola, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: Marcel Menahem
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Maya
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Go
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D020437:Hypoglossal Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011859:Radiography; D014059:Tongue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis