Spinal Accessory Nerve Lesions

ABSTRACT

The spinal accessory nerve, primarily a motor nerve, innervates the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. Proximally, lesions can occur intracranially at the skull base or just outside the jugular foramen producing ipsilateral weakness of trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles; or distally, in the posterior neck triangle causing trapezius muscle weakness.

KEYWORDS

Spinal accessory nerve - trapezius muscle - sternocleidomastoid muscle - jugular foramen

REFERENCES

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• 3 Massey E W, Heyman A, Utley C, Haynes C, Fuchs J. Cranial nerve paralysis following carotid endarterectomy.  Stroke. 1984;  15(1) 157-159
• 4 Campbell WW Dejong's The Neurologic Examination. 6th ed. Philadelphia; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2005